Hi again,

I asked a question here last time about importing a puppy from Sweden. I had originally decided on bringing the pup over via a direct flight from Sweden as cargo. However, i've been in recent contact with another breeder who said it was possible to fly the puppy to Belgium where it can travel in cabin and then pick it up from Calais to bring back here.

I'm really so confused right now. I thought i had it all planned but this breeder says it's far cheaper to do it this way than have the pup travel as cargo. From what i can make out it does seem that way. But is this even an option?

Also, i haven't had a direct quote about costs of travel as cargo. Only by travel agent companies themselves but they are really pricey and it seems an easier option to just arrange the travel between myself and the breeder. I thought i was looking at costs around £500, but never having done this before, i believe that's way out? What are the average prices for flying a puppy over by cargo without the use of a transport agency? Anyone roughly know?

We will be importing aSwedish pup into Italy in March.The cost to send as unaccompanied cargo was approx 3 Times the cost of bringing the pup in as accompanied baggage.My pup will be almost  4 months  old as the rabies laws require.We will use SAS airlines. He will have to travel in the cargo due to his size and weight  .
If your pup is just eight weeks he can fly to Belgium,but the uk is similar to Italy in requiring a pup be 3months old,to receive its rabies shot,and then  have a further 21days waiting period before he is allowed to enter UK.
Probably your cheapest option is to do as we are doing and fly to Sweden to accompany pup home,as accompanied cargo,at 3 m and 21 days.

except that it's not possible into UK - however it's easy to fly to Paris/Brussels etc and drive through the tunnel or go via ferry into UK :-)

Certainly can be done, no problem, though EU travel rules (Rabies at 3 months and 21 day wait before travel) will of course still apply, to get pup back to UK, plus the Worming.

When I flew to USA (Dec 2010) with my bitch for mating I flew back to Belgium so that I only paid the Excess baggage charge which was a straight $150 with American Airlines, (KLM at the time were 200 Euro's).

You simply have to do the sums does the flight plus petrol and ferry come to less than the Cargo charges, especially bearing in mind if it's Heathrow there will be another £500ish to pay.

Pups under 5kg can fly in cabin with some airlines, but to be honest pup may be more comfortable in the hold in an airline crate for the excess baggage charge.

> What are the average prices for flying a puppy over by cargo without the use of a transport agency? Anyone roughly know?

From Scandinavia now I believe you have to use an Agent.  In 2006 when I did it myself from Helsinki, we paid £430+ for Cargo, plus all the extra charges at Heathrow.

In 2011 my friend brought a 10 month pup in Cargo from New York, and that was over £500, plus £500 extra charges at Heathrow.

From Scandinavia now I believe you have to use an Agent.  In 2006 when I did it myself from Helsinki, we paid £430+ for Cargo, plus all the extra charges at Heathrow.

In 2011 my friend brought a 10 month pup in Cargo from New York, and that was over £500, plus £500 extra charges at Heathrow

Ah ok, so i wasn't to far out on prices, although i must find out for sure whether i need to use an Agent.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

At nearly 4 months old would the pup no longer be able to fly in cabin or as accompanied baggage? Pup would weigh no more than 10kg i wouldn't think. Or would it still need to fly as cargo to Belgium or France?

Dogs are not able to fly into UK in the cabin or as baggage - however they can fly in as excess baggage into mainland European countries

Only small dogs and pups under 5kg that will fit into as Carrier the size of hand luggage are allowed in the cabin, but not to UK, where they can only come as Cargo. They can still go as accompanied baggage to other EU countries, but in the hold.

Thanks for the replies and clarification guys. You've been really helpful.

Seems like a cheaper option to fly pup as excess baggage to France or Belgium then and head back via ferry to UK. I've never been abroad before though so this will be a whole new experience!

I have been considering bringing back a dog ( adult small breed ) from the USA with me when i go over in june , i have been looking at the option of flying back to Amsterdam and then ferry over to the UK , it seems to be the best and cheapest option , does anyone know if there are any additional charges at Schipol airport for doing this ? ( like heathrow ) or is it straight forward ? The dog will be flying as excess baggage in the hold , does anyone know the procedure when the flight arrives ? I would be extremely grateful for anyones thoughts or experiences  with this stuff , thank you in advance

No extra charges to Brussels (I flew JFK to Brussels) or Schipol or anywhere (Iflew to Helsinki thsi way too) when it's excess baggage or in cabin. 

They will just check the Pet passport/paperwork along with your passport.

I chose Brussels as it was the closest airport to ferry, with direct flight from JFK.

Thank you Brainless , its giving me such a headache to try and work it all out , i am taking my own dog out to the speciality and he is then stopping in the states for a few months and i have the chance of this adult to come in place and its all expenses paid too but i don't want to push it

I flew into Paris, no extra charges (just excess baggage afterall) and was waiting for me in baggage collection :-) never even saw anyone customs wise....

Yep so easy, and quick, unlike Cargo. 

You will see loads of dogs arriving and going on flights, where here at Heathrow everyone stares when you have a dog with you (obviously departure only).

With Lexi 2006, with no driver to do the Euro option we flew out excess baggage, and transfered to a local flight at Helsinki and back to Helsinki no problem, but had to do Cargo (had to have her with Carriers 5 hours before flight) in order to get her back to UK, as you know those costs more than my ticket and her excess going out.

In 2010 we flew Inka out excess baggage, and on return flew her to Brussels excess baggage too, where OH picked us up and we came back on a cheap day return ferry ticket, with dog extra £15.

The only other charges were the Vet fit to Fly health cert going out (about £55), and ditto coming back, (similar cost) along with ticks and tapes medicating.  I took my own wormer/tick treatment.

I spoke to Skymaster this morning, Duncan advised that the company you go through in Sweden holds all the exporting rights, can't remember the name but he will tell you. They have tried before and the cost doing it yourself are four times as much than using this company.

Surely that only applies if you go the Cargo route, not if you fly with the dog yourself.

Yes it's the cargo route, I thought that was what op was asking. Can travel with person on some flights on board if under a certain age and weight.

Think it's Trust Forwarding. http://www.trustforwarding.com/

> Can travel with person on some flights on board if under a certain age and weight.

and also with may airlines in the hold as 'checked/excess baggage' same location in the hold but not Cargo, as the dog is accompanied by the owner.  Often a persons ticket and the excess baggage charge will work out cheaper than Cargo.  It's a case of doing the sums.

another thing you may want to consider is the price of the ticket is escalating in this season....we have seen an increase of 80 euros on a ticket ,just by leaving  our booking an extra week.Prices will continue to go up as the skiing season is starting.Book early as you can !

I discussed the options with the breeder yesterday and i'm getting the impression they're not keen on flying the pup to France. They didn't say they wouldn't, that it would all depend on their work schedules which is understandable, but i just got the feeling they'd prefer to go the cargo route. They said also that a two way ticket to France and back to Sweden would be a great deal of money too.

So we shall see closer to the time i guess :)

What about you flying out, that would have been my preference.  Get a ticket from UK to Sweden returning to Belgium or France, (a lot depends on routes, as you want  direct one) and get OH/Friend etc to pick you up by car for ferry or tunnel back home.

The only way to find out if it is viable is to know the date and find out the prices for each option.  Remember advance booking can save you a lot.

In my situation as I was going anyway (to mate my bitch) it was cheaper to do this, and even getting a pup would have been as it was December, but my Friend who imported a few months alter at a more expensive time of year for flights found ti cheaper to go Cargo.

Expect Cargo and otehr charges to Healthrow to be over £1000.

Thanks Brainless. If i go the cargo route i was going to pick the pup up from Manchester to avoid the Heathrow charges.

Like i said, i've never been abroad before so it's something i'd have to think about and i'm not sure i'd have anyone to travel with me. Then like you said i'd have to take into account whether me flying over to collect the pup, bring it back to France or Belgium and then return to the UK will end up cheaper than cargo.

Also, don't know for sure, but the pup would roughly be ready to travel around early November time i think. So it's hard to contact any company and give them specific dates as of yet.

A friend of mine brought two pups back to uk from russia a few months ago. he drove to france via channel tunnel, left his car at airport, flew to russia and brought pups back in cabin with him to france, then drove ba
back via channel tunnel. no problems. Just make sure all paperwork is correct

To travel in cabin the pups need to be under 10lb/5kgs, which would rule out all but small breeds at 16 weeks of age.  For example one of mine (20kg as adults) would be easily double that weight by then.

My medium breed is 5kg well before that age - more like 7 weeks.

Yep ours are on average around 11 pounds at 8 weeks (I have had a range of 9 to 13 pounds).

There is a huge difference to send as cargo verses accompanied baggage.
We booked this week......flight to Sweden-Italy return...cost 180e....plus pup(10kg  accompanied baggageon return flight) 60 e.
the quote to have pup sent as cargo,unaccompanied....800e.
The key to keeping costs down is to book early too,prices are escalating depending to the season involved.

Thanks Bellamia. That's quite the difference!

I contacted SAS and they quoted me about £1400! Don't know whether that's with an agent or not, i don't think so, because i didn't mention that and just asked about rough estimates for importing a puppy using their company on it's own.

Don't know how that works out in France/Sweden/Belgium, but hopefully November won't be to dear for tickets at that time. I'm really favouring the excess baggage idea.

> I'm really favouring the excess baggage idea.

From the dogs point of view it's much less time shut in the airline crate.

If your with them they only require you to bring them to the baggage handling just before the plane starts to board (though you do have to check in earlier), so they can be out of the crate, go for a pee etc until then. With Cargo they have to be shut in and go to the Cargo place 4 or 5 hours before the flight, then add flight time, and more delay before tney are let out in the Quarantine kennels at Heathrow.

With excess baggage at the other end in Belgium/France they simply bring yhe crate to baggage claim, so no longer than collecting your luggage before yoru re-united with the dog.