Air France Pet Policy

With Air France, passengers can travel with their pets in the cabin, as checked luggage or in the air cargo. Under the Air France pet policy, carrying pets on flight is subject to a service fee. 

In order to travel with the pet, passengers need to book a pet at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure. And, ensure that all the health documents and certificates are in order. 

In this post you will find all the rules and regulations you need to show before booking your pet for in-cabin, baggage hold or as a cargo.

---

Travelling with Pets on Air France In Cabin

As per the Air France in cabin pet policy, the airline allows small dogs and cats to travel with the adult passengers in the cabin. 

• Pet travel with Air France – Only cats and dogs are allowed in the cabin. 

• Age requirement for pets in cabin Air France – 
  • Must be no less than 8 weeks old for travel on flights within France, Guadalupe, Reunion Island, and Martinique. 
  • Travel no less than 15 weeks old to fly between France and French Guiana.

• Pet reservation – 
  • Passengers need to call Air France customer service to book their pet reservation. The request must be completed up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure, as per the Air France pet policy. 
  • In-cabin booking for pets can be requested via the manage booking section. 

• Check-in – 
  • If travelling with a pet, passengers need to complete the check-in process at the airport counter.
  • Passengers must arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before scheduled departure. 
  • Online check-in for pets on Air France is not permitted.

• Air France pet carrier requirement for in-cabin travel – 
  • Maximum weight allowed – Must not exceed 17 lbs/8 kg combined with the pet
  • Air France pet carrier dimension must be within 46 x 28 x 28 cm.
  • The carrier must be water-proof and properly ventilated. 
  • It must fit under your seat. 
  • Only 1 pet carrier is allowed. An additional pet carrier would be considered as checked baggage. As per the Air France pet in cabin policy, an additional carrier would be subject to a fee. 
  • Only 1 pet is allowed in each container.

---

Carrying Pets with Air France as Checked Luggage

You need to complete this checklist to accept pets as checked baggage under the Air France pet policy. 

Air France pet transport carrier – Your pet must be able to spin around, lie down comfortably, and stand up with their heads completely raised. 

• The pet travel carrier must be composed of rigid plastic, and is integrated with an in-built metal door. 
• Pets kennels/carriers made of wood or with plastic doors are not permitted for travel. 
• Two empty containers or one container with separate divisions for food and water must be linked to the kennel.
• A quilt, tissue, or other absorbent material must be placed on the floor of the kennel.
• A’Live Animal’ sticker must be affixed to the outside of the kennel.
• The pet carrier must include a central locking system. 
• Wheels must be taped off or removed.

Pet travel age – If a pet is travelling as a checked baggage, the following age and strength requirement must be met.

• Your cat or dog must be at least 10 weeks old.
• 3 animals up to six months old from the same breed and up to 14 kg each.

Air France pets documents – Passengers taking the pet as checked luggage must obtain the following documents – 

• The required health certificate for pets or their passport must be in English. It is highly advised that copies of these certificates be attached to the kennel.
• When you do check-in for Air France, be sure to carry the original documentation with you.
• The name, address, and phone number of the passenger must be written on a tag that is connected to the kennel.
• The animal’s name must be written on a label that is fastened to the kennel’s side.

Pet’s physical condition – Pets must not appear physically distressed, injured or sedated. The pet must not wear any leash or outfit. Nor these items would be left in the kennel. 

Air France pet shipping on connecting flight – Must be at least 2 hours of layover between connections so that the passengers have enough time to collect the pet. They need to accompany them again for security and health-check.  In addition – 

• No check-in will be required for pets at the stopover airport.
• Keep all the paperwork handy that you need for the country where your next trip is. It is where you pass through security and immigration checks before boarding the next flight.

Breed restrictions – The snub-nosed pets are not permitted to travel under checked baggage and are prone to respiratory problems.

• Cats – Burmese, Himalayan and Persian cats
• Dogs – Shi Tzu, Boxers, BullDogs and pugs.

---

Pets Travelling Under Cargo with Air France

As per the Air France pet policy, there are circumstances where the airline does not allow travel in the cabin or in the hold. It must be transported if – 

• The pet and container weight combined is more than 75 kg/165 lbs.
• Transport is permitted for destinations that allow pet travel via cargo. 

• Pets allowed on Air France – Following animals are allowed under Air France cargo pet transport. 
  • Dogs
  • Cats
  • Horses
  • Ornamental fish
  • Zoo or exotoic animals
  • Insects
  • Hatching eggs
  • cattle

• Age requirements – The pet travelling in cargo must be at least 10 weeks or older.  

• Air France cargo pet transport booking – Passengers can arrange a pet travel under cargo by contacting airlines’ cargo freight forwarding agent. You can also book car go transport for the eligible pets online. If booking pet cargo from one of the following countries, choose one of the country-specific brokers in the list below – 
  • USA
  • Canada
  • Netherlands
  • France

• Air France cargo pets documents – You need to obtain the following certificates for cargo travel – 
  • Health certificate obtained no later than 10 days old.
  • Vaccination proof for dogs, and cats.
  • Pet passport or any legal travel documents
  • Attested Shipper’s certification for live animals. 

• Restrictions for pets under cargo travel – The following breeds are not accepted for transport by freight on flight operated by Air France. These include – 
  • Snub-nosed animals like Pug, Bulldog, Boxer Terrier, Shih Tzus, Persian or Burmese cats.
  • Temperature in any of the destination cities must not exceed 85° F/29° C, or below 10° F/-12°C. 
  • Pets travelling within the EU region must be electronically chipped, vaccinated and must obtain a European passport.

---

Travel Guidelines for Air France Service Dog

As per the Air France pet policy, only trained service dogs are allowed. And, the following requirement must be met for pet travel. 

Bringing Your Service Dog

The Air France pet fee would be waived if passengers are bringing it in the cabin to help them with a disability. Please be aware that the airlines only permit service dogs who have received the necessary training. The application form must be completed and must be submitted at the time of check-in on the day of departure. Include a copy of the pet’s passport that includes the breed, weight, and size information.

Prepare to Travel with Service Animals

As per the Air France service dog policy, please ensure to arrange the dog’s vaccination, health and training certificates. To find out which documents are necessary, it is advised to contact the embassies of your departure, transfer, and arrival countries.

Behaviour in Public Places

Please be aware that Air France will not consider your pet to be a trained service dog if they do not behave properly in public. If in doubt, one of the airline representatives may ask for more details to confirm that your dog has received training. The Air France pet travel team may  ask for additional written evidence if you are unable to provide a convincing explanation.

Flying to and from the US

Besides the application form, if travelling to and from the United States, you need to fill the U.S Department of Transportation form. You need to print this form and carry it with you at the time of check-in. 

During the flight –

• Your service dog may not obstruct an aisle or other space that must be left clear for safety reasons. 
• When travelling with a service dog, you cannot reserve an exit row seat. 
• Your dog must be leashed throughout the trip. On board, you need to tie the leash with your seatbelt. 
• You will be offered another seat in the same travel class if your dog cannot fit in the space of the allocated seat.

Flight is longer than 8 hours – 

• If you’re taking a flight that is scheduled to take 8 hours or more, you need to sign a declaration that your service pet will not need to relieve itself.

---

Air France Emotional Support Animal Travel

As per the Air France ESA policy, the airline allows emotional service animals to travel for free, and is available on the following routes – 

• Within France
• From France to Europe and vice-versa

Check out the requirements below if you want to bring an emotional support dog or cat  with Air France. If the animal does not meet the following requirement, it may instead fly as a checked pet for an extra fee. 

Depending on availability, a maximum of two cats are permitted each flight including emotional support cats and pets, under the Air France emotional support animal guidelines. 

• A statement from a mental health professional, such as a licensed clinical social psychologist, or psychiatrist must be submitted. The medical declaration certificate must include a veterinary license number. 
• The document must be issued no more than a month before the departure date. 
• It must state that the person is receiving medical attention and needs the animal to fly with them.
• You can transport your Air France emotional support dog in a carrier, on a leash, or in a harness. The animal can only be up to 26 lbs in weight.
• If pet is travelling in a carrier – 
  • Cats must only travel in strong carriers; dogs may use fabric or robust plastic carriers.
  • The animal’s and the carrier’s combined weight cannot be more than 26 lbs.
  • Pets may leave the carrier on-board, but not at a time of landing and take-off.

---

Fee for Pet Travel with Air France

Below is the Air France pet travel cost for transporting pets in the cabin or as checked baggage. The cost would be charged per pet each way. 

Region	In-cabin Pets [in USD]	Pets in the hold as Checked Baggage [in USD]
Flights within metropolitan France	50	90
Flights to and from the Caribbean, Fort-de-France, Cayenne, Miami, Port-au-Prince, Pointe-à-Pitre, and Santo Domingo	40	100
Flights between France and Miami	65	120
Flights between France and Europe.	55	100
Flights between Europe and Israel.	65	110
Flights between France and North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia)	70	130
Flights between metropolitan France and Fort-de-France, Saint-Denis de la Réunion Cayenne, and Pointe-à-Pitre	65	85
Canada and US	125	200

The prerequisites to have your pets transported to any location inside or outside of France are provided by the Air France pet policy in the easiest and most convenient way. Air France makes pet reservations quicker and simpler so that travelers may comfortably meet all the requirements. The airline takes care of all the details on your behalf.

---

Air France Pet Travel Policy – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)