Flying With Furry Friends: Navigating Pet Policies with Ease

If you are a pet parent, you have probably thought about whisking your furry companion away on a sky-high escapade. But let’s be real, it is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Flying with your pet requires some proper planning to ensure a tail-wagging experience for both of you. Check out this roundup of must-know guidelines for travelling with pets, service dogs and emotional support animals on FlyNamibia flights.

When it comes to flying with any furry friend, it is essential to plan ahead and make arrangements with the airline in advance. To book your pet’s travel with FlyNamibia, contact the reservations support desk at +264 83 339 0011 or email info@flynamibia.com.na. Be sure to reach out during the week, Monday to Friday, between 08:00 and 17:00, at least three business days before your departure.

Service dogs: trained assistants

Service animals are highly trained animals that provide essential assistance to people with disabilities. From guide dogs for the visually impaired to medical response dogs for those with medical conditions.

To ensure they can easily be identified and recognised for their important work, service dogs wear identifying vests and carry ID cards. When it comes to flying with FlyNamibia, service dogs are warmly welcomed aboard both regional and domestic flights. However, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind to ensure a smooth journey for everyone involved:

• Only one service dog per passenger is allowed in the cabin.

• Service dogs must be trained to assist with a disability or medical condition.

• Service dogs must wear a harness and identifying jacket, as well as remain under your control at all times.

• You will need to have your service dog’s up-to-date documentation with you, including health vaccination and rabies certificates.

• You will need to have documentation to confirm that your dog is a trained service dog.

• Remember to pre-book your service dog with FlyNamibia’s reservations support desk at least three business days before your flight.

• Give yourself ample time to check in and remember that your service dog will have to remain on the floor at your feet during the flight.

Emotional support animals: comforting companions

An emotional support animal provides a therapeutic benefit to a person with a mental health or psychiatric disability. These animals are not considered service animals, the key difference between the two being the training they receive. You can get a psychiatric service dog that requires extensive training to work specifically with people whose disability is due to mental illness. They could for example detect the beginning of psychiatric episodes and help ease their effects.

Meanwhile, an emotional support animal has the mandate to provide cuteness and cuddles – something no animal needs training for. An emotional support animal can be any domesticated animal, even a rabbit. Some airlines do not allow emotional support animals on board, but FlyNamiba does, with these guidelines for travel:

• Emotional support animals weighing up to 7 kg are permitted in the cabin on FlyNamibia’s domestic flights.

• Emotional support animals must be properly harnessed and remain with their owner throughout the flight.

• Emotional support animals need the correct documentation from a licensed mental health professional to fly.

• Emotional support dogs will not be permitted to fly if they demonstrate disruptive or aggressive behaviour such as growling, biting or barking excessively.

• Emotional support animals are not allowed on Cessnaoperated flights.

• Remember to pre-book your emotional support animal with FlyNamibia’s reservations support desk at least three business days before your flight.

• Give yourself ample time to check in.

General pet policies: tips for smooth travels

If you are considering bringing your pet along for the journey, whether it is a cat, dog or small bird, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Contact FlyNamibia’s reservations support desk at least three business days before your flight to arrange for your pet’s travel.

• Ensure your pet’s crate meets all requirements, including being leak-proof, properly ventilated, made of metal, wood or a hard plastic/composite, and labelled as “Live Animal”.

• Remember to bring along your pet’s health and vaccination certificates, especially for rabies, as you will need a record that they received these annually.

• Be aware that FlyNamibia reserves the right to deny carriage of pets at their discretion, so it is best to plan ahead and confirm your pet’s travel arrangements in advance.

• Animals do not form part of the free baggage allowance, so you will be required to pay charges for your pet’s travel at the airport when you check in.

Side note: It is not recommended that you sedate your animals for travel. This is because these medications can create respiratory and cardiovascular problems as the animals are exposed to increased altitude pressures. Of course, if your veterinarian feels that tranquillisers are medically necessary for the trip, they can be taken but you will need to indicate the name and the dosage of the drug on your animal’s carrier.

Whether you are flying with a service dog, an emotional support animal or a beloved pet, FlyNamibia is committed to ensuring a safe and comfortable journey for all passengers, both human and furry. Understanding and following the guidelines will help you travel seamlessly and with peace of mind.