Turkish Airlines Pet Policy

With Turkish Airlines pet policy, you can travel with your favorite pets on board as well as transport them as checked baggage. The pet fee may apply. In this post, we will cover all the guidelines that you should know before making a pet reservation. In addition, what animals are restricted on board, the pet travel fee, and the airline’s service animal policy.

Turkish Airlines Pet Travel Guidelines

To bring the live animal on board or as checked baggage, the pet reservation must be completed up to 6 hours before the scheduled departure. Similar to this, there are other pet travel policies that you should take note of – 

• There is a capacity limit on the number of animals that can be carried per aircraft. 
• Passengers need to complete Turkish Airlines check-in for the pets, 3 hours before the scheduled departure for international flights, and 1 hour for domestic flights. 
• You need to affix a label to the pet carrier that must include a passenger’s name, address, contact number, pet breed, weight, and the name of the pet.
• You need to carry the pet’s medical reports, vaccine certificates, ID details, and other necessary documentation at the time of travel. 
• The combined weight of the animal and the crate for pets traveling in the cabin must not exceed 8 kg. 
• The pet carrier’s maximum dimension must be within 23 cm in height, 30 cm in width, and 40 cm in length.
• In addition to the plastic pet carriers, the airline allows pets to be transported in hard-sided and soft-sided cases. 
• Pregnant animals, as well as puppies and kittens under the age of ten weeks, are restricted to fly with Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Airlines Pet Policy In Cabin

In case any passenger has presented a medical declaration prior to the flight that they are allergic to animals, the pets will be allowed in the cabin under certain conditions – 

• When a passenger with an allergy statement and a passenger with a pet request is on the same flight, the passenger who made the first reservation will have their request confirmed.
• When a passenger with an assistance dog and a passenger with an allergy statement are traveling on the same flight, the assistance dog request would always be preferred over the passenger who declared a condition over an allergy.
• Cats, dogs, small singing birds like parakeets, and canaries are allowed to be transported on board. 
• The pet must be transported in a carrier that fits beneath the passenger’s seat.
• Passengers traveling with pets in the cabin can choose seats that aren’t near emergency exit doors or front row seats. 

Please note parrots and pigeons are not allowed on board with passengers and must be transported in the aircraft hold.

Service Pets with Turkish Airlines

A service animal considered by the airline must be a dog. The animal should be trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with disability, regardless of breed or type. Turkish Airlines pet policy only accepts dogs as service animals. The characteristic of the service animal include – 

• Seeing Eye dogs, hearing dogs, medical alert dogs, and rescue dogs accompany passengers free of charge, regardless of the trip type and the class of service selected. 
• Psychiatric service dogs are subject to a pet reservation fee. 
• In case you have a connecting flight, the dogs can be transported in the pet container/kennel in the cabin or as checked baggage in the aircraft hold for an additional Turkish Airlines pet travel fee. 
• The pet travel fee is calculated based on the Turkish Airlines baggage policy and is paid at the time of check-in at the airport.
• Passengers who have a connecting flight with a Psychiatric Service Dog must bring an empty kennel with the proper dimensions.
• There is no charge for transporting an empty kennel or carrier. 
• As per Turkish Airlines dog policy, the service animals must be trained and certified.
• You need to check that the dog’s training certificate, medical declaration, vaccination card, pet passport – identification card, and any other documents required by the destination country’s rules are readily available and updated. If documents are missing, the service animals may be denied boarding. 

Certain Conditions Apply On The Service Animals

Service dogs must maintain proper hygiene, must be properly leashed, and wear an identification vest. Just like that, there are the following conditions that you should keep in mind – 

• The dog must be seated underneath the passenger’s seat throughout the flight. The extension of the pet’s lease must be attached with the passenger’s belt all the time. 
• Service dogs are not allowed to occupy any passenger’s seats.
• You need to carry the muzzle in case of bared teeth or excessive barking. 
• At times, passengers may be moved to different seats for the safety of the other passengers. Passengers are responsible for any damages caused by the service animal dog. 
• Any aggressive or disruptive behavior exhibited by the service dog leads to the travel termination of the concerned passenger.  
• To travel with the service animal, the acceptable documents include – 
  • A veterinarian’s statement in writing.
  • A statement in writing by the passenger describes the handling procedures to prevent the dog from relieving itself.
  • A signed statement accompanied by photos or other illustrations demonstrates the dog’s ability to relieve itself without endangering its health or sanitation.

Transporting Pets in The Aircraft Hold

In case your pet’s carrier exceeds standard dimension or weight more than 8 kg, the concerned pet would be transported in the aircraft hold. As per Turkish Airlines pet policy, the conditions for the crate include – 

• It comprises a hard surface, be of sufficient size, properly ventilated, and be watertight to ensure the pet is comfortable and safe. 
• The airline does not allow pets to be transported in the aircraft’s hold in the soft cases.
• The pet allows pets to get up, turn around, and lay down comfortably while in the carrier. 
• You need to make sure that the pet carriers are large enough to allow your pet to travel comfortably, stand on its own, turn around, and lie down comfortably; they should also allow air, be watertight, and have a lateral locking system.
• Pilots hold the sole discretion on whether pets can be transported in the aircraft’s hold or not. If the pilot informs the airlines that ventilation conditions are not suitable, the pets are not allowed to be transported in the aircraft’s hold under any circumstances.

Turkish Airlines Pet Travel Policy (International Airlines)

You must ensure to have all the travel documents required for your pet by the destination country. Failure to present any related document may lead to the termination of your travel. The Turkish Airlines pet policy for international travel includes – 

• Some arrival points may restrict the entry, exist as well as the transit of the pets. In those cases, passengers need to keep the valid documents required for service dogs or other pets.
• If the documentation is incomplete, the airline may cancel passengers’ as well as concerned pet’s travel. 
• Passengers who are flying internationally with their pets must send the documents to the CDC over email least 6 weeks before the commencement of travel. 
• Passengers need to submit a copy of the CDC application at the time of check-in and boarding, on the day of travel. 
• The pets would not get entry to the international zones without written approval.
• The written approval from CDC is not required if the following conditions are met – 
  • If you have concrete evidence that the dog has spent less than 6 months in a high-risk country.
  • The pet or service dog has valid vaccine certificates from a licensed veterinarian in the United States
  • Pet has a readable microchip.
  • If the dog is at least 6 months old
  • The concerned pet is in good health and is flying out of CDC-approved airports.

Restricted Animals with Turkish Airlines

As per the Turkish Airlines pet policy and due to international aviation guidelines, the airlines restrict certain breeds of cats and dogs. This includes – 

Dangerous dog breeds like Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Pitbull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro. 

Other dog breeds such as American Bulldog, Dogue De Bordeaux, Doberman (all breeds), Rottweiler, Wolf Hybrid Dogs Affenpinscher, Pekinese, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Tibetan Spaniel, Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, and Bull Mastiff, and English Mastiff are restricted to fly with the airlines.

For all information on the restricted breeds, check Turkish Airlines pet policy for more information.

Turkish Airlines Pet Travel With Special Conditions

As per Turkish Airlines pet policy, pets with special conditions such as pregnant animals or the pet who are under 10 weeks, or mother dogs/cats who require nursing assistance are restricted to travel onboard. 

On the contrary, a mother cat or dog and up to three newborns aged 10 to 24 weeks can be transported in the same carrier in the aircraft hold.

Turkish Airlines Pet Fee

The pet allowance is not considered as free baggage and is subject to pet travel fees.

Domestic Flights

if the pet and the weight of the carrier collectively is less than 8 kg, they must be carried in the cabin. However, those exceeding the 8 kg weight allowance need to be transported in the aircraft hold. The total weight of the pet and its crate will be charged as a fixed fee. Please see the table for more information – 

International Flights 

Pet’s carrier/container is not included in the free baggage allowance and must be transported for a fee. The following is the overview of the fees for transporting pets on international flights –

Cabin & the Aircraft Hold

Regardless of the passenger’s free baggage allowance, the pet and the carrier would be weighted collectively. The pet fee is calculated by multiplying the price per kilogram according to the table below, which takes into account the route and weight.

Depending on the type of pet you are traveling with, it is essential to follow this airline’s policies before booking a flight. In addition, the pets that can travel on board as part of your carry-on luggage or brought through as checked baggage are determined by their size and weight. Thus, it is important to know the maximum size limit for checked bags or carry-on pets. 

Conclusion

Finally, remember to let Turkish Airlines know about your pet when you’re making reservations for yourself. While you can check in on the day of departure, we don’t advise it as there will be a lot of other passengers trying to get their own pets checked in on time. You don’t want to risk losing the opportunity to take your pet with you, so plan ahead and give yourself and your pet plenty of time to get him or her ready.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Turkish Airlines Flying with Pets