How To Fly With Your Dog Inside The Cabin

Melbourne the toy poodle waiting for his flight at the airport

We love traveling with our dog so we decided to put together this guide for fellow furparents who wish to fly with their dog inside the cabin.

Our 4-year old toy poodle travels quite well and doesn't bark unless he feels excited or threatened. He's mostly non-reactive making him a good candidate for traveling. So far we haven't encountered any issues as he's quiet most of the time and doesn't bother other passengers.

If your dog isn't well-mannered and you aren't good with discipline we DO NOT RECOMMEND traveling with your dog.

Currently only Cebu Pacific Air allows traveling with dogs inside the cabin for domestic flights within the Philippines. You do not need to pay for a separate ticket for your dog as they will not be occupying a seat. The airline provides a guide on traveling with service and emotional support animals which contains the most up-to-date information and policies for traveling with your dog inside the cabin on their flights.

Booking Your Flight

Cebu Pacific Air recommends booking a window seat when you are flying with your dog inside the cabin. In addition, we recommend booking the first row for more wiggle room especially when you are bringing a carrier.

During the booking process you need to check the "I have a declaration / request" checkbox then select "Traveling with a Service Dog". It's the same selection whether you are bringing a service animal or emotional support animal.

Secure a Medical Certificate for an Emotional Support Animal (ESAN)

You will need to find a psychiatrist who will issue you a medical certificate that you need an Emotional Support Animal (ESAN). We got ours from iPsych after a one-hour consultation with a psychiatrist. The fee was Php 2,800 for the consultation and Php 3,500 for the medical certificate. Price varies between service providers so check before you decide to get a medical certificate.

Get a Veterinary Health Certificate

A week before your flight you should visit your dog's veterinarian to get a Veterinary Health Certificate. This certifies that your dog is healthy, up-to-date on his rabies vaccine and won't be spreading any diseases. A Veterinary Health Certificate is only valid for 3 days and is necessary to get a Shipping Permit. Make sure to apply for the Shipping Permit within the validity period or you'll need to get a new one.

It should be noted that the Veterinary Health Certificate should be issued from the place of origin i.e. if you are flying out of Bacolod City then you should get a Veterinary Health Certificate from a licensed veterinarian from Bacolod City.

If you don't know a licensed veterinarian from the place of origin you can go to the nearby Provincial Veterinary Office. You will need to show your dog's vaccination records for them to issue a Veterinary Health Certificate. We paid Php 100.

Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian in Bacolod City

Apply for a Shipping Permit

After getting your Veterinary Health Certificate you will need to apply for a Shipping Permit with the Bureau of Animal Industry's National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division. Though it is not required by Cebu Pacific Air we apply for a Shipping Permit so we don't have issues with quarantine control.

Go to the website, create an account, add your dog's details and upload a photo of your dog, vaccination records and veterinary health certificate. It's not a user friendly website and does not work well on a phone so you will need a computer or at least a tablet.

If everything is complete you should receive the Shipping Permit the next day. Otherwise, the NVQSD website will tell you what you need to change. Everything is done online and there is no need to visit their offices. The Shipping Permit is free of charge and is valid for 7 days.

Choosing a Carrier

Cebu Pacific Air does not require a carrier to be used when flying with your dog inside the cabin. However, we highly recommend using one since it's not all the time you will be using the bridge to board or disembark on your flight and having a carrier makes this easier than having to walk your dog up/down a flight of stairs. Having a carrier is also a nice way to keep your dog away from people who will want to pet or take photos of your dog.

Cebu Pacific Air recommends a soft carrier measuring 20 cm x 20 cm x 35 cm that will generally fit under the aircraft seat. However, we find this quite limiting as the dog has to crouch or lie down inside the bag with these dimensions.

What we have found that has worked for us is this el cheapo we got from Shopee (pictured above). We've used it twice on the plane as well as on a few road trips and has held up quite well. It has the features we look for in a soft carrier and will most likely look for the same when we choose one for long term use.

For those looking for an upgraded option there's the Xkins Carrier Pro (pictured above). Similar to the one we've been using but made with better materials, has a shoulder strap that converts into a leash and has seatbelt straps for use inside a vehicle.

If you are looking for a premium option I recommend checking out this list by Yolanda Edwards on the YOLO Journal. We've been eyeing the Dagne Dover Kyoto Carrier and the Diggs Passenger Travel Carrier for a while now.

We recommend looking for the following features when choosing a soft carrier:

• Foldable for easy storage when not in use
• Straps for attaching to luggage handles
• Pockets for holding frequently needed items like treats and poop bags
• Sturdy bottom with a removable and washable cover/pee pad
• Safety hook strap to prevent your dog from jumping out
  

Carry-on Checklist

Documents

• Veterinary Health Certificate
• Vaccination Records
• Medical Certificate for Emotional Support Animal
• Shipping Permit

Accessories

• E-Collar or muzzle
• Collapsible bowl or water bottle for dogs
  
• Leash
  
• Favorite stuffed animal
• Soft carrier

Supplies

• Diapers
• Pee pads
• Poop bags
• Wet wipes
• Treats
  

Day of the Flight

On the day of the flight make sure your dog gets a short walk before heading to the airport. It's always good for them to burn some energy as well as for them to pee and poop so you don't have to worry about that later on.

We also recommend giving a calming treat at least 30 minutes before heading to the airport. This allows your dog to relax and reduce stress associated with travel. Our preferred calming treat is WAG Calming Jerky which contains lavender and chamomile.

At the Airport

Whenever you encounter an x-ray machine make sure to notify the personnel operating the machine that you will be removing your dog from his carrier and will be passing through the metal detector together with your dog. You can place your dog back inside his carrier after passing through.

Upon check-in the ground staff will ask for your documents and check to see your dog. Based on our experience most of Cebu Pacific Air's ground staff aren't familiar with the rules and regulations of bringing pets onboard so I suggest exercising patience. They will usually check with their immediate supervisor just to make sure they are doing everything by the book. As long as your documents are complete and the requirements are followed you will be good to go.

Cebu Pacific Air requires dogs wear a muzzle or e-collar. We don't like the idea of putting a muzzle on our dog since he isn't aggressive so we opt to make him wear an e-collar instead. Yes, it's the same one used when your dog is receiving medical treatment. The airline also requires dogs to wear a diaper.

Place your dog inside his carrier prior to boarding. You can let him out once you are settled inside the plane.

Upon Arrival

Upon landing at your destination place your dog inside his carrier. This will make it easier to disembark especially if you will be riding a bus from the plane to the terminal.

Trip Planning

Make sure to include visiting a veterinarian and applying for the Shipping Permit when planning your trip and booking flights. The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and Bureau of Animal Industry are open Mondays thru Fridays and is closed on public holidays. Private veterinarians will also be closed on public holidays.

For short trips we recommend flying out on a Thursday then upon arrival visit a local veterinarian to get the Veterinary Health Certificate and apply for the Shipping Permit on the same day.

You should receive the Shipping Permit the next day if not you still have time to re-submit and get it the following week on a Monday. Then you can fly out on Tuesday or Wednesday.

We hope this detailed guide has given you the confidence to start traveling with your dog.

Got any questions or think we missed something? Feel free to shoot us an email at furrandfancy@gmail.com.