Organizing a trip with your pet? Olympic Air offers a variety of travel options for your pets/animals; depending on their breed and size, they can travel in the cabin with you, be transported in the aircraft hold or transferred as cargo.
Note: A Live Animal Acceptance Checklist must be completed and signed at the airport.
Pets in cabin
Only one (1) pet (cat or dog) in cabin per passenger carried within a special box/container is allowed to travel. The permitted weight for a pet, combined with its container, should not exceed eight (8) kilos.
Due to the limited number of pets/animals that are accepted on each flight, reservations for pets/animals are accepted on a priority basis.
If you are planning to travel with more pets, they must be of the same species, familiar with each other and carried within the same special box/container. The maximum weight of eight (8) kilos (including container) should not be exceeded.
- Also, please be advised that you will not allowed to travel with a pet in cabin and infant.
- Only cats and dogs [guide dogs included (see "Service animals" below)] can travel in the aircraft cabin with you, with the exception of specific breeds.
- The container should be large enough that the animal can stand upright, turn and lie down in a natural manner.
- Pets must be carried within a special box/container which is the passenger’s responsibility to provide.
- The container must not exceed 55cm length x 40cm width x 23cm height. For DH8-100 and ATR aircraft, the following maximum dimensions apply: 40cm length x 25cm width x 25cm height.
- It should be adequately ventilated on at least four (4) sides.
- The door hinge and locking pins must engage the container at least 1.6 cm.
- Pets must be kept in the leak-proof container during the whole flight.
- It is the owner’s responsibility to provide the pet enough food and water for the whole flight, including possible transfer times, if applicable.
- Passengers travelling with a pet in cabin are only allowed to seat in window seats that are not in the first row, the emergency exit row or the adjacent ones.
- The special box must be kept under the seat in front of the passenger.
- Pets are allowed in the lounges as long as they remain in their special box/container.
- Animals allowed to travel: Cats and dogs (guide dogs included).
- Reservations for Pets/Animals are accepted on a priority basis as there is a limited number of pets/animals that are allowed to travel on each flight.
- This service is only available for AEGEAN and Olympic Air operated flights.
- Each passenger can travel with only one (1) pet (cat or dog) in cabin.
- Your pet must fly in an approved, non-rigid special box/container, not exceeding 55cm length x 40cm width x 23cm height (or 40cm length x 25cm width x 25cm height for DH8-100 and ATR aircraft) and 8 kg with the pet inside.
- During the flight, you must not take your pet out of the special box/container.
- The container must be placed on the floor, between your legs or under the seat in front of you.
- The pet must travel with a passport issued by a veterinary surgeon certifying that the pet has been vaccinated.
- Olympic Air is entitled to reject all animals whose special characteristics are not met or cause distress to fellow passengers.
- Passenger is responsible for checking the respective country regulations.
Animals in aircraft hold
If you have a larger cat or dog which exceeds the eight (8) kilos weight limit, then it can only be transported in the baggage hold compartment of the aircraft.
Except for particular breeds, Olympic Air and AEGEAN welcome for transportation in the holds of Airbus 320, 321, ATR 42-600 and ATR72-600 aircrafts, only dogs and cats and no other animal species.
In case of a connecting time exceeding three (3) hours, animals may not be accepted for transportation in the aircraft hold.
Animals intended for laboratory and scientific purposes are also not permitted.
Passengers should have the appropriate size of container for transporting larger animals in the aircraft hold.
The below requirements must be met:
- The service for transporting animals in the aircraft hold is not available on flights from/to Alexandria and Istanbul.
- The container should be large enough so that the animal can stand upright, make a turn and lie down in an ordinary manner.
- Container should be clean, leak-proof, escape-proof and scratch -proof.
- Separate food and water containers must be provided, must be present and affixed within the shipping container with outside access for filling that does not require the opening of the shipping container allowing potential escape of the animal. Food and water containers must have rounded edges and be made of non-toxic material suitable for the species. The inside of the container must be lined with absorbent material. We recommend a blanket or old clothing.
- Pet owners are responsible that animals have enough food and water for the whole flight, including possible transfer times, if applicable.
- The container must be appropriate for air transportation and handling (feeding, watering, cleaning).
- It must be ventilated on at least four (4) sides.
- If the container has wheels, the pet owner is responsible for removing them in order to be properly secured in the aircraft hold.
- The door hinge and locking pins must engage the container at least 1.6 cm.
- The container must have a lock.
The following image displays the required specifications for dogs and cats container:
In general, the number of pet/animals which may accompany the owner or an authorized person during a single flight are maximum five (5) (including other hold items such as baggage and special equipment). Τhe maximum number of pets/animals per container is three (3), all having the same date of birth.
Booking & charges
Pets/animals must be booked in advance, through the official online channels of Olympic Air and AEGEAN or through the Call Center.
Connecting flights: To check availability, please call the AEGEAN Call Center before your trip.
The below charges apply for transportation:
Cat or Dog in cabin (up to 8 kg)
Cat or Dog in aircraft hold - medium (8kg - 25kg) (including their container. Please note that dimensions should not exceed the following: 71cm length x 52cm width x 55cm height)
Cat or Dog in aircraft hold - large (over 25kg, including their container. Please note that dimensions should not exceed the following: 105cm length x 75cm width x 79cm height)
Notes:
- The aforementioned prices apply to bookings made online, as well as bookings through the Call Center*, for AEGEAN and Olympic Air operated flights only.
- Due to the limited capacity, reservations for pets/animals are accepted on a priority basis.
- They also apply for bookings through the AEGEAN Call Center, for AEGEAN and Olympic Air operated flights with the LH group (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss).
- The charges apply per container, despite the number of pets included.
- Pet/animal bookings are refundable.
- Re-routing and re-issue is permitted as long as the relevant service is available.
- Transportation of dogs and cats to Dubai and Abu Dhabi are NOT accepted in cabin or aircraft hold and are only allowed to be sent as cargo.
- Transportation of dogs and cats to the UK is only permitted for flights to London Heathrow and only to be sent as cargo. From the UK, the transportation of dogs and cats is permitted in cabin or aircraft hold, with the exception of the airport of Gatwick London where they are only allowed to be transported as cargo.
- Trained service animals are carried free of charge, as long as pet owner gives the required notice before proceeding to the final booking. Appropriate documentation/certification will be requested (see "Service animals" below).
- The above prices apply per route.
*Please be advised that offline purchase, via AEGEAN’s Call Centre after your ticket has been issued, for transporting animals in the aircraft hold is subject to a service fee of €8 per passenger.
Health condition
Pets/animals must be minimum 12 weeks old, with a valid anti-rabies vaccination.
- The anti-rabies vaccination is repeated every one, two or even three years, depending on the vaccination type. The vaccination should be valid and in effect when travelling and with minimum days of 21 since last shot.
- Vaccination should take place after microchip is applied. The pet/animal must be minimum 105 days old so as to be accepted for transportation.
In general, pets/animals must be clean, healthy, harmless, odorless, not pregnant, not sedated and not loud to annoy other passengers.
Travel documents and check-in
- At Athens International Airport "El. Venizelos" and Thessaloniki Airport “Makedonia” there are special check-in counters exclusively for passengers with pets. Irrelevant of departure airport, pets must be presented at a check-in counter for clearance at least one (1) hour prior flight departure.
- Prior to flying, the pet’s health book must be physically presented for inspection and the pet must be fitted with the required ID microchip. Specifically for travel within Greece, the electronic health Book issued by Gov.gr or a copy of its document is accepted if the date of the Microchip is also noted there.
- If a pet is not accompanied by its legal owner, written authorization from the owner, using a declaration, is required.
- Although, online and mobile check-in is available, passengers travelling with a pet must pick up their boarding pass at the airport.
Travelling abroad
- Transportation of pets is subject to Governmental regulations regarding import, export and transit of live animals. Each country may dictate additional conditions; as a result, it is necessary and recommended for each passenger/pet owner to visit the respective authorities (usually Ministry of Food and Animal) of their destination country for further conditions. For more information, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/index_en.htm (official EU site on the regulations for travelling with pets/animals).
- Transportation of dogs and cats to Dubai and Abu Dhabi are NOT accepted in cabin or aircraft hold and are only allowed to be sent as cargo.
- Transportation of dogs and cats to the UK is only permitted for flights to London Heathrow Airport and can only be sent as cargo. Please check the guidelines for importing pets into the UK. From the UK, the transportation of dogs and cats is permitted in cabin or aircraft hold, with the exception of the airport of Gatwick London where they are only allowed to be transported as cargo.
- Each dog with cropped ears imported into Ireland either as cargo, PETC and AVIH is required to have an import license issued by Animal Welfare Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In addition, each dog with cropped ears imported into Ireland must be accompanied by an original veterinary certificate stating the veterinary reason for the ear cropping procedure, signed by veterinary practitioner and with official veterinary practice stamp.
- For international flights, pet owners must present a pet passport.
It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that all paperwork necessary for the importation of their pet is proper for the country they are flying to.
Service animals
Olympic Air and AEGEAN can accept the following two (2) types of service animals to travel in the aircraft cabin:
Trained service dogs: Seeing eye dogs trained to lead passengers with impaired vision , hearing or other service dogs trained to assist, for example, epileptic or autistic passengers.
Trained service dogs must be accredited by an organization that is a full member of
Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or
International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), or
European Guide Dog Federation (EGDF) or any national certified Guide Dog School.
Rescue dogs: Dogs trained to assist rescue workers.
Requirements for service animals
- Service dogs can only be booked through the AEGEAN Call Center and must be requested at least 48 hours before the flight departure.
- Service animals are carried for free.
- Passengers are entitled to one (1) service animal in the aircraft cabin. A second service animal may be carried in the baggage hold within an approved special box/container.
- The passenger is responsible in supplying the appropriate container.
- The service animal shall fit between passenger’s feet.
- It must not pose any direct health or safety threat to other passengers, or any threat or disruption to the service in cabin.
- The service dog is not allowed to move around in cabin.
- The "Requirements for pets/animals transportation" mentioned above also apply for service animals.
- Service dogs are only allowed to be transported to the UK on flights to London Heathrow.
Passengers must assure that conditions in the destination country permit the pet/animal to be transported and enter the country according to local regulations and that the pet/animal complies with all health and hygiene terms and that they have all the necessary documentation for ownership and transportation.
Pets & animals as cargo
Please contact our Cargo Department in cases of:
- Cats and dogs are travelling without a human companion.
- Cats and dogs where the required container/crate exceeds the following dimensions (in centimeters): 105(L) x 75(W) x 79(H).
- Cats and dogs travelling to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or UK where they are required to travel as cargo.
Tel.: +30 210 3543700, +30 210 3543 095 / 096
Fax: +30 210 3543198
Ε-mail Supervisor: cargosupervisor@aegeanair.com
Kindly note that different prices apply should your animal/pet necessitates the transportation as air freight (cargo).
