Air France

Service Animals (In-Cabin & Support)

You can travel in an Air France cabin with your trained guide or service dog for free, provided you comply with current international regulations. Requests should be submitted at least 48 hours before departure, except 96 hours for flights to/from the United Arab Emirates.

• Your service dog must be well-trained and comply with health requirements of all countries involved in your journey.
• The dog must wear a harness at all times and stay securely fastened to your seat or seat belt.
• It must not obstruct aisles, other passengers’ space, or emergency exits, and must behave impeccably.
• The dog should be ready to wear a muzzle if necessary for safety.
• It is strongly recommended that your service dog wears a vest, identification tag, or visible sign indicating its status.

Additional notes:

• Snub-nosed dogs are permitted in the cabin but not in the hold due to medical reasons; consult your veterinarian before travel.
• If medication is needed onboard, bring the medical prescription.
• Except for flights to/from the U.S., bring your dog’s service training certification and a copy of its passport page with breed, weight, and size.

Special Conditions

Flights to/from the United States

Send required documents at least 48 hours before departure to the appropriate Air France contact:

• Two official U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) forms, completed and signed.
• Service dog’s passport, health documents, and vaccination records.
• For flights to the U.S. only: a third CDC form, completed and signed, must be kept with you for boarding checks.

Your service dog must be at least 6 months old and microchipped.

Flights to the United Kingdom

• Submit your travel request at least 48 hours before departure to ensure a Pet Checker is present upon arrival.
• Only service dogs trained by organizations affiliated with the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) or Assistance Dogs International (ADI) are accepted.
• Upon arrival, you and your dog must remain on the aircraft until identity and document checks are completed by the Pet Checker.

Flights to the United Arab Emirates

Contact Air France assistance at least 96 hours before departure for document verification by airport and government authorities.

Regulations

• Only guide or service dogs trained by certified and recognized organizations are accepted onboard.
• Guide or service dogs in training without their trainers are not accepted in the cabin, except if carried in a bag, crate, or in the hold.
• Air France reserves the right to hold passengers financially liable for any damage caused by their guide or service dog.

In-Cabin Carrier Details

Air France allows dogs and cats to travel in the cabin under specific conditions.

• Pets must travel in a special closed carrier no larger than 46 x 28 x 24 cm (18 x 11 x 9½ inches).
• Only soft carriers that fit easily under the seat in front are accepted.
• The carrier must be well-ventilated and large enough for the pet to stand up and turn around.
• Pets must remain inside the carrier throughout the flight.
• Only one animal per carrier and one animal per passenger is allowed.
• The pet carrier counts as an additional baggage item and fees apply.

Pets traveling in the cabin must meet age and weight requirements:

• Dogs or cats weighing up to 8 kg (17.64 lb) including the carrier may travel in the cabin with prior authorization from customer service.
• Pets must be at least 15 weeks old and up-to-date on vaccines for international flights.
• For flights within Metropolitan France (including Corsica) and between Metropolitan France and Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion Island, pets must be at least 8 weeks old.

Snub-nosed animals are not allowed to travel in the hold.

Pets weighing between 8 kg (17.64 lb) and 75 kg (165.35 lb) including the kennel must travel in the hold, with bookings made at least 24 hours before departure.

Please arrive at the check-in counter at least 3 hours before departure with your pet, its transport bag, and the completed and signed Air France KLM checklist for transporting cats and dogs in the cabin.

Pet carriers and kennels can be purchased on the Air France Shopping website with delivery available in select countries including Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Metropolitan France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom, and United States.

In Cargo Carrier Details

Permitted animals:

• Cats and dogs weighing between 8 kg (17.64 lb) and 75 kg (165.35 lb) must travel in the hold.
• Cats and dogs weighing less than 8 kg (17.64 lb) can also travel in the hold.
• Each passenger may travel with a maximum of 3 animals in the hold; this number may be limited depending on the plane type.

Notify Air France that you are traveling with an animal in the hold as soon as you book or at least 48 hours before departure.

Documents Required:

• Your pet must be at least 15 weeks old and up-to-date on vaccines.
• Follow the travel guidelines in the form "Conditions for transporting a dog or a cat in the hold": kennel size, material, and closure type.
• Print and sign the form; present it at the Air France counter when checking in your pet.
• Failure to comply will result in denied boarding for your pet.

Container requirements (IATA standard):

• Only IATA-approved, bolted, rigid plastic or fiberglass kennels are accepted.
• Container must be made of fiberglass or hard plastic.
• If the container has wheels, they must be removed or sealed if retractable.
• Door must have a central locking system locking in two places: top and bottom.
• Door hinges must extend at least 1.6 cm beyond horizontal extrusions above and below the door.
• Container halves must be fastened together by bolts.
• Attach an empty, open-topped bowl to the screen door accessible from outside; water bottles and dispensers are not allowed.

Comfort and well-being conditions:

• Pet must be able to stand with head fully upright without touching the container roof; container height must exceed pet height by at least 5 cm.
• Pet should be able to turn around and lie down comfortably.
• Water will not be provided during the journey; ensure your pet is well hydrated before check-in.
• Container bottom should be covered with blanket, newspaper, or absorbent material; straw is prohibited.
• Pets should not wear a leash or muzzle, nor have these items left inside the container.
• Pets must not show signs of physical weakness, injury, or be under tranquilizers.

Animals required to travel by cargo only:

• Animals other than dogs or cats.
• Snub-nosed dogs or cats from these breeds: Boxer, Pekingese, Shih Tzu dogs; Persian or Birman cats.
• Animals with carrier weighing more than the maximum allowed in the hold.
• If the destination country requires cargo transport for all animals.

Since July 15, 2019, snub-nosed dogs such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers are no longer permitted to travel by cargo.

We recommend choosing a transporter approved by AIR FRANCE KLM Cargo and consulting the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA).

Regulations for travel to the United States:

• U.S. health authority regulations apply to all airlines and travelers with dogs.
• Review CDC regulations and travel requirements before traveling.
• Make booking requests at least 48 hours before departure (96 hours for service dogs traveling from/to the UK and UAE).