Lufthansa Pet Policy

Lufthansa pet policy allows the smaller pets to travel in the cabin, and larger pets to be transported as checked luggage or cargo. In addition, the airline has very flexible and pet-friendly policies that not only make pet travel affordable but also hassle-free. 

In this post, we will cover the travel policy if you take your pet in the cabin, larger pets that don’t fit under the seat, and the travel policy for emotional service animals. Besides that we have covered how you can book their travel, what breeds can you carry, the pet travel fee, and much more.

Lufthansa Pet In Cabin

To travel with a pet in the cabin, passengers must be at least 18 years old. A passenger flying with a pet is not permitted to sit in the emergency exit or bulkhead rows. 

As per the Lufthansa Airlines pet policy, the airline transport canines, felines, even household birds, but whether you’re travelling with your pet or a professional assistance animal, there are some requirements and restrictions. Before booking your pet travel, read all the rules and restrictions – 

• Taking your pets in the cabin means that the airlines count it under the carry-on baggage allowance. Your carry-on bag allowance includes the pet carrier. 
• You can either bring a pet carrier and a personal item, or a pet carrier alongside standard hand luggage. A pet kennel, a conventional carry-on, and a personal item are not permitted on board. To know more about the baggage allowance, read the Lufthansa Airlines baggage policy. 
• Each passenger is allowed to take a maximum of 2 animals and must be caged in the per carrier to travel in the cabin. 
• Dogs, cats, rabbits, and domestic birds are allowed in the passenger cabin.
• In the case of flights outside Germany, dogs and cats must be 8 weeks or older and have been fully nursed and habituated to eating solid food on board. 
• Up to two pets of the same breed and size may travel in the same carrier as passengers as long as no body parts are exposed and the animals must not be in distress.
• Pet must remain in its container and the flap must be secured at all times. The pet carrier must be stored under the seat.
• The minimum age for the animals to be transported to and from Germany must be 15 weeks, and 12 weeks for the travel outside Europe. 

Lufthansa Pet In Cabin Requirement

The Lufthansa pet carrier size must include the following requirements – 

• The Lufthansa pet carrier dimension of the soft-size or hard-size must not exceed 17 x  11 x 9.5 inches or 55 x 40 x 23 cm.
• If the animal does not exceed 8 kg or 17 pounds, the pet is eligible to travel into the cabin.

Lufthansa Pet Travel Documents

As per Lufthansa pet policy, alongside bringing a suitable pet carrier you must carry the following documents on the day of departure – 

• The booking confirmation or passenger receipt [Lufthansa pet transport cost].
• The official and veterinary documents such as pet passport and health declaration. 
• Lufthansa pet shipping cost receipt would be required if the pet is transported via cargo. 

In addition, you must carry the booking confirmation and the passenger receipt in the carry-on bag. Bring your pet to the check-in counter in a suitable transport container up to 3 hours prior to departure and no later than 2 hours before departure.

Lufthansa Cargo Pet Travel Policy – Pets in Checked Baggage

Most small, tamed pets are accepted under the Lufthansa pet policy. Cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, house birds, non-poisonous amphibians, pot-bellied swine, bunnies, and tropical fish are all allowed to travel in the climate-controlled baggage hold. The following guidelines will apply – 

• Each animal allowed for transportation as checked baggage must possess a health and travel declaration. 
• Weaned dogs and cats must be at least 8 weeks old.
• In each kennel, no more than one live dog or cat, aged 6 months or older, can be handled.
• Only one live dog, aged 8 weeks to 6 months and weighing more than 20 pounds can be carried in the same carrier.
• In each kennel, no more than two live pups or kittens, 8 weeks to 6 months old, of comparable size and weighing under 20 pounds are eligible for transportation.
• If your pet is too big or too heavy to travel in the cabin, or if you have a pet that isn’t a dog or a cat, your pet travels in the checked baggage hold which remains climate-controlled throughout the trip. 
• If you’re traveling with one of these breeds, they cannot fly in the checked baggage hold, rather must be transported under the Lufthansa pet cargo program. As per Lufthansa pet policy, these breeds include –
  • American Pit Bull
  • American Staffordshire
  • Boxer
  • Boston Terrier
  • Brussels Griffon
  • Bulldog
  • Bull Terrier
  • English Toy Spaniel
  • Japanese Boxer
  • Pekingese
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier

You must also follow the food and water requirement for the checked pet – 

• Animals traveling as checked luggage must be given food and water within 4 hours of scheduled departure. 
• Animals must be provided with enough food and water to endure the duration of the travel.
• Passengers having a stopover for 4 hours or more must seek access to their pet in the connecting airport to provide additional food and water.
• You will be required to check the pet check record at the Lufthansa check-in to ensure that the pet must be given food and water for acceptance. 
• When check-in in with your pet under the checked baggage hold, passengers need to be on the same flight to the pet’s destination.

Lufthansa Pet Cargo Requirements

The requirements for the containers used to transport dogs and cats in the air-conditioned cargo compartment are listed below and serve the guidelines of Lufthansa’s pet policy. 

• The animal must be able to stand in its normal position and have enough room to lie down and turn around and stretch in the pet carrier.
• The maximum size of a container for the cargo hold must be within 120 x 75 x 85 cm. 
• The container must be impenetrable to escape. The airline recommends cages composed of durable plastic or wood that are safe and non-toxic. All four sides of the transport container must have ventilation slots. The gaps must be small enough to prevent any portion of the animal’s body from passing through and causing injury, as well as to protect the animal from chewing or scraping.
• There must be no sharp angles, spikes, or visible studs on the interior of the container where the animal could wound itself.
• The cage must include empty food and water bowls that could be filled from the outside. Food and water for the flight can be provided if requested.
• Only 1 pet is permitted per carrier.

Lufthansa Emotional Support Animal

As per the Lufthansa pet policy, the airline allows emotional animals and is subject to a fee and must be eligible based on the following requirement –  

• Lufthansa Airlines official allows dogs as the only service animal to travel.
•  The airlines will accept service canines that have been trained to perform work or chores for the benefit of a certified disabled person. Psychiatric service animals are included.
• A maximum of two animals per passenger is allowed. 
• At the time of travel, the size of the animal must not exceed the personal space of your seat. 
• Enrolling a service animal must be completed up to 48 hours before the scheduled departure for the flights within Germany. For international flights, the passenger needs to complete this process up to 5 days before the scheduled departure. 

Traveling with Service Animal

As per Lufthansa’s emotional support animal policy, passengers are not permitted to choose an emergency exit row seat. In that case, passengers need to choose a window seat so that the animal should not block the aisle. In addition – 

• You should not overfeed your pet on the day of travel. 
• Make sure you know where the animal relief zones are at each airport along with your travel.
• Passengers need to print the hard copy of the Lufthansa pet form, the DOT animal service transportation form, and the email approved for travel by the airlines.
• If you’re traveling with a service animal, the airline will do everything possible to offer you an extra leg or extra spacious seat. 
• At the boarding gate, you’ll be asked to verify any of the following –
  • You must be traveling with the service animal on that particular flight
  • To review the animal’s behavior before boarding the flight. 
  • To assess that the service animal will fit in the seating floor space. 
• If you need to support your impairment or disability, the service animal must be seated on the aircraft’s floor. The pet can also travel in your lap if it is no larger than the infant. 
• The service animal must not occupy the seat of the guardian as well as the seat of any other passenger. 
• Service animals are not permitted to obstruct aisles or sections that must remain free in the event of an emergency evacuation.

How to Book a Pet in the Cabin with Lufthansa?

If you want to travel with your animals, Lufthansa Airlines allows transportation in the cabin or checked baggage, depending on the weight and size of the animal.

In addition, your pet can also fly unaccompanied under the Lufthansa pet travel cargo plan. Here’s how you reserve pet travel with Lufthansa – 

• First you need to determine whether your pet is eligible for travel or not. 
• On the other hand the airlines only allow cats and dogs under the Lufthansa Airlines pet policy. 
• If the animal does not exceed 8 kg or 17 pounds, the pet is eligible to travel into the cabin. 
• Your pet must be transported in a travel carrier. The Lufthansa pet in cabin dimensions must be within 55 x 40 x 23 cm. Passengers can bring their own kennel or pet container as long as it meets the required dimensions, and must be water-proof.

Book a Pet in Lufthansa via Customer Service

To book your pet travel, call the Lufthansa pet travel phone number. You must inform the person making the reservation that you will be traveling with a pet in the cabin when you phone to book your flight. For all last-minute flight reservations, you need to request the pet travel up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure. 

Lufthansa Pet Fee

Under the Lufthansa pet policy, the pets fare is calculated based on the size, as the price varies between the flights within Europe, and other international destination – 

The pet policy of Lufthansa Airlines is very flexible. With the policies, you don’t have to worry much about the pet when you take a pet to travel with you. It doesn’t matter if it is a small domestic dog or an emotional support animal. If you are traveling with your pet, you will be happy to know that there are cheaper ways to do it on this airline. In addition, the extra features offered by Lufthansa make the flight pet-friendly.

Lufthansa Airlines Pet Policy – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)