transatlantic flight

[AlanAndBabe]

Ideally you can actually take them yourselves, and have a lot more control over the situation.
It isn't that difficult, and pet transport companies aren't necessary if you are willing to take time to book the flights yourself.

I have flown with dogs (4 greyhounds on one very memorable flight!), rabbits and guinea pigs on separate occasions.
To be totally honest when we flew with the small animals they actually came with us as hand luggage, but that is difficult to do these days as restrictions are a lot tighter and less airlines will let you do this.

November is tricky as it will be too cold outside for your guinea pigs at both ends of the trip.
You need to speak directly to the airline and ask what provisions they will make for keeping them warm during loading and unloading.
Even if you drop them off right before the flight, crates need to be straped onto a metal transport tray and lifted into the aircraft, and this takes time. Also the hold won't reach the optimal temperature for a while as it is open during loading so gets fairly cold.
Talk about this issue with the airline well in advance.
I would actually try asking if you can take them as hand luggage as long as their carrier fits under the seat in front.
The airline will give you the exact dimensions as it varies from carrier to carrier - European carriers tend to have more room than US carriers.

You need ot be careful about the letter for the pilot - obviously you don't want to spark a security alert!
I wrote a letter with a large colour picture of my pets at the top.
I did not put it in an envelope and once we sat down I called a member of staff over, opened the letter, explained I had pets on board and asked them to pass on the information to the pilot.
The letter was always very polite and usually went something along the lines of: Today my much loved rescue greyhound George is traveling in the hold. George waited five years to find his forever home, and is moving with his family to Switzerland. Thank you for making sure our boy is safe and warm in the hold. etc.
Usually this got passed around the rest of the staff and everyone was always very nice about it and asked questions, etc.

I also laminated a similar letter and stuck it to the top of each dogs crate. It always included several contact numbers etc and some info about the dogs insdie. I wanted the people handling my animals to feel a connection with them. I also covered all sides of the crate with reflective tape to make sure it would be very visible in poor light conditions.

Hello! I am trying to fly transatlantic with my two guinea pigs (3 years and 1 year old). I have some questions for your knowledge if you have the time to answer. I am flying in August from Tennessee. Do you think it will not be possible to transport them through the hold (without a transport service) because of the heat? Do you have experience with layovers with pets in the hold? Are you able to retrieve your pigs during the layover? It will also be hot at the connecting airport, and I don't foresee my babies being moved to a temperature controlled environment unless I am doing it.

I have been sorting this out for months, and I can't seem to find a viable solution. I'm extremely hesitant to use an animal transport service unless I find proof of someone who has taken their guinea pig (or other oft neglected pets) through the service. The only one I found quoted me over $4,000 and that is most likely not possible for me. The older boy (Alan Waits) had a mysterious spinal injury that temporarily paralyzed his back legs. He made a full recovery after months of 2-3 times daily medication and food every six hours. The baby (Babe Ruth) is such a unique pig and extremely smart. He still refuses to be held, but I bonded with him by teaching him tricks, and now he will climb onto my arm or put his front paws on my hand. I would hate to rehome them, especially Alan, in case any of his health issues reappear. I don't have any friends or family with the current ability to adopt guinea pigs. I also worry that Alan will be more susceptible to issues on the trip because of his medical history and age -- I know he isn't a senior piggie yet, but he has definitely started slowing down. However, he has also proved multiple times over that he's a resilient guy. Have you travelled with an older piggie, or do you have any knowledge of whether or not they would have a harder time?

Sorry for all the information. I would do anything to bring them with me safely. Thank you for reading this!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

I have moved your post to its own thread, as the thread you originally posted in is over 5 years old and the contributors to that thread have not logged onto the forum in several years.

Hopefully somebody will have some advice for you, but generally speaking, when this topic comes up from time to time the solutions don’t tend to be easy or cheap ones.

I hope you can get something sorted