Avianca flying with pets

Does Avianca allow passengers to travel with their pet?

Avianca allows passengers to transport their pet as carry-on or checked baggage as long as the service is requested at the time of booking or at least 24 hour prior to the flight departure. The number of pets accepted per aircraft is limited.

The pet transportation service is not available:

• To/from Europe in the cabin.
• On Embraer aircraft.
• To/from London.
• To Aruba, Curacao, and the Galapagos Islands.

Which pets will Avianca accept for transportation?

Avianca accepts for transportation dogs and cats with the following restrictions:

• Dogs and cats less than 8 weeks old are not accepted because they are more vulnerable to dehydration due to their size.
• Endangered species and exotic birds are not accepted for transport either as baggage in the cabin or hold.
• According to the applicable laws, the importation of American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers or of canines that are the product of cross-breeding/hybrids of these breeds is prohibited into Colombian territory. If the dog was born in Colombia, then it can be taken out of the country, as long as the owner processes the permit that allows it enter again.
• Dangerous dog breeds (e.g., American Staffordshire Terriers, Dogo Argentino, Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosa, etc.) are accepted only for transportation in the hold.
• Brachycephalic dog and cats breeds are not accepted for transportation.

Pets in the Cabin

Dogs and cats may be transported in the cabin on domestic and international flights as long as there is enough space to fit the pet container under the seat in front of the passenger.

On flights within Columbia, passengers may also travel with small birds, and dogs and cats only require the vaccination card. For travel from Colombia to international destinations, you must have a Health Inspection Certificate issued by the ICA ( Colombian Agricultural Institute) for your pet.

The service is not available on transoceanic routes, nor for flights to/from London (due to the restriction of the Animal Reception Centre). The service only applies to connecting flights with Avianca, TACA or Lacsa.

Passengers must provide a pet carrier and muzzle to transport the pet. Avianca only accepts one pet carrier per passenger and only with one pet inside the carrier. The pet carrier must comply with the following restrictions:

• Maximum weight (including the carrier): 8 kg (18 lbs).
• Pet’s height – 20 cm (8 in).
• Maximum dimensions for pet carrier:
  • Total linear dimension – 90 cm (35 linear inches).
  • Length 40.6 cm (16 in) + Width 27.9 cm (11 in) + Height 20.3 cm (8 in).

Fees

The service charge for transporting pets in the cabin varies depending on the route:

Pets as Checked Baggage

Dogs and cats, only one animal per container, are accepted for travel. The restrictions that apply for transporting pets as checked baggage on Avianca flights are different depending on flight:

• Pets weighing up to 10 kg (22 lbs), not including the weight of the container, are accepted only on flights of up to 5 hours.
• Pets weighing up to 20 kg (44 lbs), not including the weight of the container, are accepted only on flights of up to 4 hours.
• Pets weighing up to 46 kg (101 lbs), including the weight of the container, are accepted only on Airbus A330 and Boeing B787 aircraft regardless of the length of the flight.

Fees

The service charge for transporting pets in the cabin varies depending on the route:

Service Animals

Avianca accepts only dogs as Service Animals, animals that are specially trained to accompany persons with disabilities, and Emotional Support Animals, a companion animal that provides therapeutic benefit. Passengers must present documentation from a mental health professional justifying their need to travel with an Emotional Support Animal, and the date of issue of this document must be less than a year before the flight departure date.

Avianca transports Guide or Support Dogs and Emotional Support Dogs free of charge, and there is no limit to the number of Service Animals allowed in the cabin. Passengers should arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure and should have all the legal and immigration documents at hand to present them on request.

More information here >>