Pet-Friendly Airlines & Flat-Faced Pet Dogs and Cats

Airlines these days give special attention to flat-faced dogs and cats, who are sometimes also referred to as ‘brachycephalic’ or ‘snub-nosed’ breeds. Such pets are considered special cases and require extra attention due to their physiology. 

As their name suggests, flat-faced dogs and cats have flat faces which leads to some challenges when it comes to travel. Such animals traditionally suffer from breathing difficulties, which can be further exacerbated by the stress of pet travel. There are also a few other factors that come into play when transporting a flat-faced pet.

Here Are A Few Reasons Some Airlines Refuse to Transport Flat-Faced Pets

Why do Airlines Have Special Rules for Flat-Faced Pets? 

If you have a flat-faced pet breed, you will often notice extra warnings or rules regarding your pet's health while travelling. There are a few reasons why this is particularly the case with flat-faced pets and air travel. 

• Weather conditions usually do not affect travel plans, but flat-faced pets have embargoes against them as the extremely hot or cold temperatures when queuing for boarding can affect them adversely. This problem is usually at its worst in the summer. 
• Snub-nosed or flat-faced pets must travel on shorter flights, as trips longer than a few hours can raise the risk of a mishap. 
• Pet size is a determining factor for some airlines. While certain airlines will permit small and lightweight flat-faced dogs and cats in the cabin, others will ban them from travelling in the cargo hold. This means that your flat-faced friend needs to be small, or else they cannot travel on certain airlines. 

Due to a combination of one or more of these factors, some airlines have stopped accepting flat-faced or snub-nosed pets altogether. Even when airlines do permit such pets to travel, there are differing policies in place, not to mention the differing criteria of “snub-nosed” each airline seems to follow when it comes to breeds classified as flat-faced. To steer clear of confusion and avoid any last-minute surprises when travelling, it is crucial to do your research and familiarize yourself with pet-friendly airlines that allow flat-faced pets to travel on board. 

To help ease this process, here are a few popular and pet-friendly airlines that allow flat-faced animals to travel and have outlined specific guidelines for the same. 

American Airlines

American Airlines allows flat-faced pet dogs and cats to travel on board. Pets are allowed to travel with their owners in-cabin, provided they comply with the requirements. It is important to note that American Airlines does not permit flat-faced or snub-nosed pets (or a mixed breed) to travel in the cargo hold. 

Here are the dogs and cats American Airlines considers to be flat-faced or brachycephalic: 

• Dogs: Affenpinscher, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer (all breeds), Brussels Griffon, Bulldog (all breeds), Cane Corso, Chow Chow, Dogue De Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Lhasa Apso, Mastiff (all breeds), Pekingese, Pit Bull, Presa Canario, Pug (all breeds), Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel. 
• Cats: Burmese, Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair. 

Lufthansa 

Renowned as a pet-friendly airline, Lufthansa permits pets to travel in the cabin, provided they meet travel prerequisites. Lufthansa will not allow flat-faced pets to travel as accompanied baggage; however, they will allow pets to travel as cargo, limited by the restrictions imposed by airports depending on the time of year. 

Here are the dogs and cats Lufthansa considers to be flat-faced or brachycephalic: 

• Dogs: Affenpinscher, American Bully (these are also classified as fighting or dangerous dogs), Bulldog (all breeds except American Bulldog), Pugs (all breeds), American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Bull Mastiff, Bull Terrier (excluding Miniature Bull Terriers), Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Japanese Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Pekinese, Pit Bull, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel. 
• Cats: British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, Scottish Fold

KLM 

KLM or Royal Dutch Airlines permits pets to travel both in-cabin and as cargo. However, they do not permit flat-faced pets to travel as checked baggage. Regardless of their acceptance of flat-faced pets, KLM outright refuses to transport English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and Pugs.

Here are the dogs and cats KLM considers to be flat-faced or brachycephalic: 

• Dogs: Affenpinscher, American Bully, Boston Terrier, Boxers (all breeds), Bulldogs (all breeds), Bull Mastiff, Cane Corso, Pugs (all breeds), Chow-Chow, Great Dane (all breeds), Certain breeds of Spaniel (Tibetan, Japanese, English, King Charles), Brussels Griffon, Lhasa Apso, Mastiffs (all breeds), Neapolitan Mastiff, Pekingese, Small Brabant, Shih Tzu, Shar Pei, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Cats: Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, and Persian

British Airways 

British Airways only accepts service dogs in the cabin; all other pets are permitted to travel as cargo. Regardless of their pet-friendly nature and acceptance of flat-faced pets, British Airways outright refuses to transport all bulldogs, pugs, or Pekingese. 

Here are the dogs and cats British Airways considers to be flat-faced or brachycephalic: 

• Dogs: Bull Mastiff, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels Griffon, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso, Chow Chow, Tibetan Spaniel, Shar Pei, English Toy Spaniel, King Charles Spaniel, Cavalier Spaniel, Japanese Spaniel, Japanese Chin. 
• Cats: Exotic Longhair or Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian

Qantas 

Qantas allows flat-faced pets to travel on board, but only as cargo. Even then, they only accept certain flat-faced animal breeds for travel as cargo. As a precaution, they also instruct passengers to choose a kennel that is 10% larger than the usually required size as a precaution. 

Here are the dogs and cats Qantas considers flat-faced or brachycephalic:

•  Dogs: Affenpinscher, French Bulldog, American Bully, Japanese Chin/Japanese Spaniel, American Bulldog, Lhasa Apso, Australian Bulldog, Neapolitan Mastiff, Boston Terrier, Pekingese, Boxer, Pug, Brussels Griffon/Griffon Bruxellois, Chinese Pug, British/English Bulldog, Dutch Pug, Chow Chow, Japanese Pug, Dogue De Bordeaux, Shih Tzu, English Toy Spaniel/King Charles Spaniel, Tibetan Spaniel, French Mastiff, Valley Bulldog. 
• Cats: Exotic Shorthair, Persian, Himalayan. 

To conclude, flat-faced or brachycephalic pets require a little extra care to travel, thanks to their unique physiology and the challenges they pose in varying weather conditions. Due to the variable nature of the restrictions imposed by airlines, it is crucial to do your research and ensure that you have the necessary knowledge for international pet travel to your destination country. If you find all this too challenging, you can always hire a pet relocation service. Thanks to being professionals, such a service provider will be well-versed with the regulations of airlines and any restrictions that may be in place, making your journey as smooth as possible.