Air France winding me up

[Booboostwo]

We live in France. I am due to pick up our puppy at the beginning of February and have been thinking about the best way to get him home. The breeders live an 8 hour drive from us (which will be a lot longer with traffic and rest stops) which I think might be too stressful for the puppy so I looked into flying there, picking him up and flying back.

Air France says on their website that they accept puppies but just to make sure I also called their helpline and asked. They confirmed it was no problem, I should book online and then call them to add the dog. Which I did...but having booked the tickets I was now told I couldn't add the dog there and then but had to wait 48 hours for the departure airport to confirm it would accept animals as "it is a small airport". No mention of that in the first conversation.

So I called back again 48 hours later (they charge for the phone calls and I have to wait in a queue before they pick up every time). This time I was told it was Air France who had to accept the puppy (I was calling Air France) and they don't work weekends (!!!) so I had to count two working days, but better make it three working days to be sure!

I paid €512 for a domestic flight and return and they can't even deal with a simple request! I am never going to get this puppy home am I? Am I entitled to a refund if they refuse the dog? I really don't need the flight if I can't bring back the puppy and i bought the ticket under that understanding.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

It's not cold in the bit of the hold where animals travel. The temperature is regulated, like it is in the cabin. They don't just chuck the pets in with the suitcases.

[ExitPursuedBySpartacus]

I'd get him a spesh harness that attaches to the seat belt and have him in the car with me.

[HoopsBouquet]

I'm glad you mentioned that Mrs. Schadenfreude, I may have given the wrong impression. OP, what does your dog weigh? I know of some European carriers that will allow a dog in the cabin, as long as the travel container is within the permitted size.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

It's not just the nine, or eight hours.

Don't the dogs have to be in some kennels there the night before being put in the hold?

i see how a shorter travel time would be preferable, but not sure I would do it to a puppy.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

It's not just the nine, or eight hours

Ignore that bit. Of course it's not that long with the plane.

[Softkitty2]

Fly. The misery for the dog will be much quicker. And agree, have the mother have some soft toys blankets she can lay on for him to have in his crate.

[SurferRona]

If Dpup cant be in plane cabin with you, drive. I've heard of cases where heating in plane hold hasn't been put on during flights and dogs in the hold were dead on arrival. I'd drive, much easier, much less stressful- loads less 'misery'- and you can make stops etc. And no painful ear pain from pressurising then depressurising cabins. Poor thing.

[HoopsBouquet]

I found this www.pettravel.com/airline_pet_rules/airfrance.cfm if you haven't already seen it OP, it might give you a better idea of whether air travel is suitable.

[HoopsBouquet]

That was the wrong link, this one is better www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/animal_cabine_airfrance.htm

[HermioneJeanGranger]

The hold might not be cold (ha), but the pup will be upset from being separated from it's mum, then stuck in a crate handled by several strangers for hours before handed back to it's new owner. It won't just go in the hold when OP boards and be handed back when she disembarks!

For such a young animal, I think it's important they're given human comfort and are around people, not just left on their own and passed around a series of strangers in a box.

[butterfly990]

My 2 cats went from Heathrow to Dublin. My partner handed them in at check in (where you hand in your regular suitcases) and collected them from near the carousel at the other end.

Yes they didn't like it but they certainly got stressed as well in the car for 20 minutes going to the vet so I would have definitely do it again given the circumstances.

A vet maybe able to give your puppy to help with the flight.

[SummitLove]

Is it not small enough to fly in the cabin as a handbag dog?

Do Air France still do that?

Otherwise, I would drive.

[Booboostwo]

To answer some of the questions:

He will be 9.5 weeks old at the time of travel, microchipped, vaccinated and he will have seen the vet a couple of times including right before travel. The crate is a special one for flights, it is with the breeder now, so it should have him mum's smell and he will be getting used to it beforehand. I will spray it with Adaptil as well beforehand. I will be with him the whole day before the flight and the plan was to keep him playing so that he is tired and more likely to sleep. He is good with noises in general and used to the vacuum cleaner, washing machine ,, etc so I hope he won't be too freaked out by the noise (the noise tends to be low and constant, I've seen horses take it in their stride and they are panicky animals). He will weigh about 10kgs so unfortunately too heavy for the cabin but the hold is heated and the pilot knows he is carrying animals. He will be handled by animal services prior to boarding and on landing.

I've known a few dogs fly with no problems, although never one so young to be fair. The breeder, his vet and my vet all thought he should be fine. They do not recommend a sedative as it makes some dogs more fearful.

The drive will be 8.5 hours minimum, 10 hours is more realistic and that is just drive time. I will be alone and will need to rest every 3 hours or so, and realistically I will need an overnight stay on the way back (considering also that I will need to drive up there first). I will be driving so cannot cuddle him, he will need to be in a crate, safely in the back. I have used seat belts for dogs before but they all had to be trained to them and I worry a puppy may become distressed by the belt and be a distraction when driving.

[Booboostwo]

Update: he arrived yesterday! I was much more stressed than him! I spent the day with him at the breeders, then he walked all by himself at the airport gathering admirers as he went, and came out the other end wagging his tail, ready to meet more people. Didn't even soil the crate and is happy terrorizing the cats already!

[Imamouseduh]

God no, don't put him in the hold. I thought you meant he could be in the cabin with you. The hold is cold and very very noisy. He's already going to be unsettled leaving his litter. Terrible idea. Drive.

[Imamouseduh]

Oh. Zombie thread.

[LosingDory]

I'm glad you went with the sensible option and flew with him op. Some dogs don't like travelling full stop and 1.5 hours in a plane would have been far preferable to 10 hours of potential stress. He's not going to remember it either way but definitely think you did the right thing

[QueenMortificado]

He's so cute! I'm glad it all worked out ok in the end

[WineAndTiramisu]

Very cute!

[Masterblaster3000]

It's not a zombie it's an update from a few weeks ago. You need to at least read the OP's updates or it turns into a 'cancel the cheque' thread.

Pleased to hear that everything went well Booboo, he is adorable :)