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I am wanting more information by those that have recently transported pets from U.S. to Portugal. In checking today after listening to the 11-3-22 Social zoom session, several people mentioned transporting pets this year, 2022. As we have 4 cats, we cannot transport them between the 2 of us, as personal items under the seat, and did review the latest articles online of best airlines to transport pets internationally. According to one article, posted in June, American Airlines has one of the best ratings for pets, https://www.tourradar.com/days-to-come/pet-friendly-international-airlines-ranked-top-20/ and in our case, we would have to use their American Airlines Cargo service, which is temperature controlled, and they could fly on the same flight as we would be. I called their AA Cargo service, and talked with a very helpful woman for some time, and she said, at this time, neither the Lisbon or Porto airport was receiving pets, and we would have to fly them to Madrid, and then transport them ourselves from there to Portugal in a rental car.
Has anyone else had to transport more than one or two pets, that they could not have as "personal items?" I was told that we would be required to transport them in medium size series 200 carriers, that were 27"x20"x19", as the minimum size allowed for international transport. The 4 cats would cost about $775 for each cat, with an estimated overall cost for approx. 80-100 lbs overall, of $2327. I have not checked out concierge services for cats, although Pet-Express was recommended by someone today on the chat, and noticed they wanted about $675-$875 each for their carriers, and much larger than needed for a cat, and am in the process of getting quotes for transport using the recommended carrier size, which is about $45-$138 on Amazon, which is quite a bit less expensive than their P-E's crates. I will post the estimate given when received from them.
I noticed that Tap-Portugal also is very good with pets too, although they only fly from U.S. from a few airports, and then there is the flight from where we are in New Mexico to that airport. I plan to email the Lisbon and Porto airports where they would receive pets, to inquire if it is true, that currently, they are not allowing pets aside from those that may travel as personal carry-ons. Any more specific information would be welcomed, as this is one of our primary worries in figuring out, well before we plan to apply for our D-7 in early spring, after returning from our 2nd scouting trip in mid-Jan for about a month or thereabouts. As none of our cats have ever flown before, and are not happy even in the car, it does seem that if the cargo areas of the plane are temp controlled, and they would all be together, that they would be much happier in cargo, than under the seat near us, and dealing with so many people, and the chance that they would be making noise as well, and how is that all handled...not well I would assume...and about as bad as a cranky baby...or worse perhaps. So, we would prefer not to deal with all of that, and figure they might settle down once the plane has departed. It also seems that if we are dropping them off prior to our check in, and any transport service would be doing the same, and not be able to check on them during transfers, as we would not be able to, then it may be equal to having them fly with us, in cargo, and be able to pick them up after processing.
Look forward to any more specific information, as did not find much recent pet info in the forum, and will inquire again and discuss in any appropriate zoom sessions, as my partner, Dwight, is signed up for the premium membership, so we can access everything we need to, etc. So enjoyed meeting all the happy people who have arrived at their destination in Portugal already, and those looking to do the same, as we are.
I would be most interested in how you work this out. I too was on the 11-3 social and am trying to figure out the best way to bring my 2 cats over at a not insane price. I also had read n the AA site that the airline was not managing pet moves on transatlantic flights, that had me worried as well.
@simone22 I haven't had a chance to follow up on email from airport inquiry that I sent to email I found @ www.ana.pt that manages the airports.
" . . . we inform you that it is essential to contact the airline. Additionally, for information on the legislation applicable to the international transport (within and outside the European Union) of pets, we recommend consulting the website of the General Veterinary Directorate:
We also advise direct contact with the Border Inspection Post - Veterinary Service through the following means:
TEL: +351 218 492 434 / +351 919 551 607 Email: pcflisboaa@dgav.pt
As I did call the AA Cargo, and then told me they were not able to accept animals at the airports at this time, I wondered if anyone else has used any of the airlines to ship their animals through cargo with or without a pet transport service? I figured it we were hopefully going to be on the same flights, we might hire our pet sitter's company staff to help us check them in at the airport, and then we would pick them up afterwards. It does not seem like any persons are allowed in the cargo areas, nor in between flight transfers, and so not sure that a pet transport can do more that we can...but to be decided after more research on this.
In reading more on all of this, and online articles discussing, it seems that United, who we usually travel with as we have get rewards with them, does not have good reviews, nor does Delta, and a couple of other EU airlines mentioned do not handle all facets of the travel with one airline, at least from where we are located in New Mexico, and we want to avoid having to recheck the cats from one airline to another stateside, which may delay the overall flight time they will have to endure, and we want to spare them as much stress as possible. To be continued...
Just received email response from the Porto airport too, and hope posting the suggested contact info might help others trying to figure out present protocols too:
"In response we suggest you to contact the airline, Customs services and also Portugal Food and Veterinary Directorate General (DGAV - Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária)."
For this purpose the contacts are:
Customs
Phone: +351 229 438 846 or +351 229 438 848
Fax: +351 229 439 297
E-mail: aaporto@at.gov.pt
Portugal Food and Veterinary Directorate General at Porto Airport
Phone: +351 229 428 509
Mobil: +351 916 181 917
Fax: +351 229 418 612
Email at Porto Airport: pifportoa@dgav.pt
General email: pifportoa@dgv.min-agricultura.pt
Useful information: Animais de Companhia – DGAV
Hello, there is another post about traveling with Pets that you may find helpful.
I also posted a response there about our experience flying with 2 cats from California to Lisbon.
Depending on the cost for pet transporting, maybe paying for a friend's ticket to fly over with your additional pet would be cheaper! 🙂
Will have to compare for sure, and read those posts, and know can only take one pet on board per person, but did not really answer our particular issue, and I am not sure one or two of our cats would be better in the cabin, than in the cargo area, if it is pressurized, etc., and they are handled as per the AA Cargo people stated to me in our phone call, and per their website info on pet transport services. We are not sure of flying a bit ahead and having our cats be with pet sitters in a new place for a few days with new people, and then having to deal with the plane travel...so thinking maybe we get help checking them in, and arrange to have a pet transport company help us on the receiving end perhaps.
If we had dogs, which seem to take everything in more stride, I would not be so stressed out about figuring out their travel to Portugal, but cats can take awhile to readjust to their surroundings. As well, with all of the info recently of delays in getting the D-7s, and being able to actually schedule flights, as the pets have to be scheduled in a 10-day window due the temperature concerns while be loaded and unloaded from a flight, and if the present delays continue into later spring and early summer next year, then will the temps be to much for them to be allowed travel at all if much past mid to later May. If we make it to Portugal with our already graying hair, not totally white, or gone, after all the detail figuring out on all levels, then we will be doing well I guess...;)
I miscalculated on the cost per pet in earlier posting, of AA Cargo, as it would be about $581.75 per per, instead of $775, and that was for a total weight of about 80-100lbs., and it seemed like they would allow transport of a larger dog, as that is mentioned as a concern on certain airlines, on another thread on this site, and not sure of the cost for lesser size total weights, although good to call them as they were very helpful. Still to be figured out if Lisbon is accepting pet animals as cargo if not flown in cabin. Any updates on that would be great to know.
thanks for all the replies...I will add when I have something new but appreciate all the help
I have been inside, outside, upside and down with trying to find a reasonable solution to manage the cats' travel which because they are 2 and I am 1 I opted for booking in the "hold". Ultimately AA was no good as they won't take them as cargo internationally, BA's routing was unhelpful, and so many other matters with so many other airlines...So I have booked them in cargo on a TAP flight flying out of SF and am hoping that my Visa will be issued in time to make that flight. Otherwise it looks like it's Plan V (as opposed to B which passed a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...) Thank you all for your help, I'll post again when we all arrive!
