China Airlines

Service Animals (In-Cabin & Support)

China Airlines accepts trained service dogs to accompany passengers with disabilities in the cabin at no charge on international flights operated by China Airlines or Mandarin Airlines.

• Service dogs must be individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability or medical assistance.
• Only dogs are accepted as service animals.
• Dogs must be properly trained to behave in public and follow instructions.
• Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies and be in good health, free of fleas, ticks, and other diseases that could endanger people or public health.
• Any dogs not qualifying as service dogs must travel as pets and be transported as checked baggage with additional charges.

Service Dog Types

• Medical Assistance: Guide dogs, hearing dogs, or medical assistance dogs aiding individuals with visual, hearing, or other physical disabilities.
• Psychiatric Assistance: Dogs trained to assist handlers with sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disabilities, including psychiatric service dogs.

Dog Behavior

• Service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times.
• China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines reserve the right to refuse carriage or claim damages caused by disruptive behavior of the service dog.

Seating Arrangement

• Passengers with service dogs are not allowed to sit in exit rows or block aisles for safety reasons.
• Service dogs should fit on the passenger’s lap or within the foot space; kenneling is not required.
• An additional seat must be purchased if:
  • Traveling in Business Class with a service dog that cannot fit on the passenger’s lap at all times.
  • The service dog cannot fit in the foot space.
• Even when an additional seat is purchased, the dog must remain in the space under the front seat and not on the seat itself.

Other Considerations

• Passengers must meet all relevant animal transit and entry requirements and obtain necessary documents for service dogs.
• Only one application per service dog under the same passenger’s booking record is accepted to prevent abuse.

Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals are treated as pets on China Airlines.

• Must be transported as checked baggage.
• Additional cost applies for transportation.

In-Cabin Carrier Details

Reservations must be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled flight departure and require approval from RJ's Systems & Procedures Section. Travelers must contact the booking department to confirm transportation terms and download two copies of the Passenger's Declaration for Live Animals (Baggage).

• Submit one declaration copy at check-in and affix the other to the pet container.
• Pet transport services are not available without prior application.

Transporting pets as baggage is limited to household cats and dogs (including Psychiatric Assistance dogs on specific routes) on flights directly operated by China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines. This service is not available for itineraries with interline connections.

• Pets must be in appropriate containers and transported in the cargo hold as checked baggage.
• Pets are not accepted as checked baggage on B738 aircraft due to cargo hold temperature control.
• Maximum of 8 cages per flight.
• Each passenger occupying a seat (including children and infants) may check in up to 2 cages.
• Follow arrival/transit country restrictions on pet quantities and regulations.
• One pet per container.

Weight restrictions may apply based on local airport authorities and carrying capacity. Contact the booking department in advance if the combined weight of pet and container exceeds limits.

Animal import and export regulations vary by country/region. Travelers must understand:

• Required documents or certificates.
• Restrictions on pet types and quantities.
• Quarantine requirements.

Recommended pet container features:

• Only one door with ventilation openings on all four sides.
• Floor covered with absorbent bedding.
• Door secured with zip ties on all four sides.
• Live Animal sticker attached.
• Containers with water and food inside.
• Optional reinforcement with packaging straps on the outside.

Maximum external measurements for pet containers:

• Height: 70 cm
• Width: 90 cm

In Cargo Carrier Details

• Puppies and kittens under 10 weeks old will not be accepted for carriage.
• Strongly smelling animals are not accepted on passenger aircraft.
• Live animals from tropical regions (e.g., tropical fish, birds) and cold-blooded animals (e.g., snakes, frogs) will not be accepted if any part of their journey has temperatures at or below 10°C (50°F).
• B738 cargo holds do not carry live animals except those not requiring ventilation or high temperature, such as tropical fish, eels, and crustaceans.
• Animals accepted as baggage include household cats and dogs, including working dogs.
• Optimum transportation temperature must be indicated in the "Handling Information" box of Air Waybills for all live animals.

Please consider the following points and evaluate your pet’s health before arranging transportation:

• Separation from owner: After check-in, you will not have access to your pet until delivery at the destination. Separation may last days or weeks due to customs and quarantine procedures, which may cause anxiety.
• Noise exposure: Pets may be exposed to loud noise up to 115dB before loading and during the journey.
• Unfamiliar environment and limited space: Storage areas have high traffic and limited space. It is recommended to familiarize pets with crates beforehand to reduce anxiety.
• Loading environment: Pets may be placed outdoors temporarily (about 1 hour) before loading. China Airlines provides containers to protect from direct sunlight and rain, but temperature and humidity changes may occur.
• Pets will be transported in the cargo compartment with similar atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity as the cabin.
• Feeding and watering: Prepare sufficient food and water for the entire journey. Pets should be able to eat and drink without assistance. Training pets to use water feeders in advance is recommended.
• Risk for snub-nosed dogs and cats: These pets are more prone to breathing issues and overheating. Additional precautions apply; refer to China Airlines Variation CI-05 for details.
• Quarantine regulations: The U.S. and Canada prohibit entry of dogs from countries or regions at high risk of rabies.