Korean Air is South Korea’s largest airline and it has a policy that allows pet travel but under some strict rules and regulations. The airline flies to various countries including Australia, India, Russia, Maldives, Malaysia, New Zealand, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. Pets such as dogs, birds, and cats are allowed on board after certain conditions have been met. What exactly is Korean Air Pet Policy? Let’s find out.
Korean Air Pet Policy
The Korean Air pet policy covers pets such as dogs, birds, and cats. The pets can be allowed onto a flight in three different ways:
- as air cargo or cargo pet
- as checked baggage
- as in-cabin transit
Korean Air has different pet travel options on flights, so, it is easier to choose what works best for you and your pet. With the right information, you will be able to abide by these policies and guidelines.
Restricted Pets on Korean Air
Pets such as chickens, pigs, rabbits, turtles, snakes, hamsters, ferrets, etc are not allowed according to the Korean Air pet policy. In addition, dog breeds that are categorized as fierce by the government of Korea are also not covered in the pet policy. Some of these dogs include Rottweilers, Kangals, Wolf dogs, Pit Bull Terriers, Tosa, Laika, Mastiff, and Ovtcharka, all of which are not permitted to leave Korean borders.
Policy for Cargo Pet
- This policy covers pets that weigh between 32-40 kg, in their crates or cages. Such dogs, birds, or cats will be sent as air cargo baggage.
- They are not allowed in the cabin.
- Other animals may be accepted, including some reptiles, monkey types, hedgehogs, etc, as cargo pets.
- The amount paid for cargo pets on a Korean Airline is proportional to the weight of such a pet.
- A pet is only allowed to fly as a cargo pet if it is at least 3 months old. This may vary depending on the country of destination and purpose of flying.
- The pet crate has to be wooden, especially for dogs above 29.5 kg.
- To fly a cargo pet, all necessary documents required by the country of destination such as quarantine certificates, and rabies vaccination certificates must be presented.
- A health certificate has to be dated at most 10 days before departure.
Policy for Checked Pet
- Pets under this policy are housed in the cargo hold section of the aircraft.
- Pets guided by this policy must not weigh above 45 kg, including the cage or craft.
- This is mostly used for pets too big to stay in the cabin.
- The pet has to be at least 2 months old.
- The only pets allowed in the cargo hold are dogs, birds, and cats.
- A passenger can be allowed to bring two pets as checked baggage.
- The policy states that the crate must be big enough for the pet to assume any position, including sitting, standing, walking, or lying down.
- It should be noted that some countries accept only pets that travel as air cargo. Examples include Australia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, etc. Flights going to any of these countries will not accept pets as checked baggage.
Policy for In-cabin Pets
- In addition to the general policy (these include: pets less than 2 months old are not allowed to fly on Korean Air, certifications and documentation required by the destination country must be complete), pets traveling as in-cabin pets must fit under your front seat.
- Only small pets whose weight is lesser than 7 kg are allowed as in-cabin pets.
- This policy is restricted to dogs, birds, and cats.
- The carriers or cages must be wide enough to allow the pet to sit, stand, turn around, lie down, etc.
- It is important to note that the pet is to stay in the carrier or crate throughout the flight. Under no circumstances should be pet be released from the cage.
- Noisy pets, for example, a parrot or birds generally, should be gaged with mufflers while on board.
- Only one pet is allowed on board per passenger.
Reservation Policy
- When traveling through Korean Air, you have to make a reservation in advance before you can be allowed to fly with your pet or pets as the case may be.
- For International flights outside Korea, you are required to make your reservations 48 hours before the take-off time.
- For local or domestic flights, reservations for your pet can be done 24 hours before take-off time.
- In addition to this, you are required to arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure. This is to ensure complete check-in procedures for your pets.
Conclusion
Traveling with pets by air is not as tedious as it may seem with adequate information before departure. With these outlined points, you can start planning your next trip with your pet. All it takes is early planning.
FAQs
- Can I fly with my hamster on Korean Air?
No. Hamster is one of the pets restricted on Korean Air
- What is the cost of transporting my pet through Korean Air?
The transport fee is proportional to the dimensional weight of the pet.
