Finnair Pet Policy

With the recent improvements in air travel, flying with pets is also made possible by many air carriers. Finnair provides the same facility through its specially designed pet policy. The Finnair pet policy is known to be immensely accommodating and easily accessible for passengers carrying their animals onboard. It facilitates pet travel through various methods and options. Understanding the basic guidelines of this policy can prove to be essential for flyers with pets to travel without any trouble at the last minute.

Basic Terms of the Finnair Pet Policy

In order to make sure that every passenger’s pet reaches the final destination safely, this operator has given specific conditions in the terms of guidelines. The guidelines of the Finnair pet travel policy help in providing the needed assistance to travelers while flying with their pets. Further, they also help the air authorities in maintaining the decorum of the flight. 

Hence, this policy is beneficial to both the customers and the authorities. The different guidelines to be followed by the pet owners are as mentioned below: 

• To make reservations for your pets, you need to book your tickets through the official sources of the airline. These can include both online as well as offline sources. 
• This airline accepts pets inside the plane as cabin baggage, as checked baggage in the hold, and as cargo luggage as well. However, not all animals will be approved to fly by this air operator. Hence, passengers will be required to confirm the eligibility criterion of which pets can fly in advance. 
• All the Finnair pet transport reservations should be made a few days before the flight’s scheduled departure. You will also be given the option to add your pet to the flight at the time of making a reservation booking itself. 
• Travelers who have already made bookings for their pets are required to inform the airline before boarding. Notifying the carrier beforehand can help you fly safely with your pet.
• The responsibility of vaccinating the animals and ensuring the security of their health entirely lies with the pet owners. They must submit all the health documents along with the vaccination certificate to the carrier.
• Pets can only be approved on the condition that their containers meet the necessary crate requirements as put forward by the airline. 
• Those passengers who are flying with their animals should use the check-in desk at the airline to check in their animals rather than using the self-service desk. 
• Pets will not be transported for free on this carrier. The necessary pet travel charges will have to be paid by the flyers. This fee can vary based on several elements. These can be the flight itinerary, size, and weight of the animal, as well as the arrival destination. 
• Certain destinations do not accept pets to check in or might have some limitations. You can check with the airline in advance which locations have certain criteria set for carrying pets.

Note: While booking the Finnair flying with pets feature, passengers are recommended to check for any updates in the airline’s pet policy. This can be done by visiting the official online site of the carrier or by contacting the airline authorities directly. 

Does Finnair Allow Pets In Cabin?

Being one of the most pet-friendly airlines, Finnair does allow its customers to bring their pets inside the cabin. Finnair pet in cabin policy regards in-cabin animals as a part of carry-on luggage. This means that these animals can travel alongside the owner throughout his or her journey. This feature is available for small cats, dogs, and other domestic rodents. However, carrying pets inside the flight can sometimes lead to the overloading of the aircraft. 

To avoid this, certain weight and size limitations have been set to carry animals inside the cabin. Apart from these limitations, a few basic guidelines have also been determined by the air authorities for transporting in-cabin animals. All the details of these conditions are explained below: 

Rules of the In-Cabin Pet Policy Of Finnair

• Small cats, dogs, domestic rabbits, and small rodents will all be accepted as a part of in-cabin animals. 
• Pets can only be brought inside the flight when they are kept in appropriate crates or carriages. 
• The animal is required to stay in the pet container throughout the flight. The container must either be kept in the given seat space or placed near the feet of the traveler. 
• The container must be constructed in accordance with the IATA guidelines or regulations. It should be large enough to allow the pet to move around freely or lie down without any congestion. 
• Only small dogs and cats can be carried in soft-sided containers on the plane. Otherwise, the crate must be sturdy and stable enough to not allow the animal to escape. 
• One other important crate requirement set by the airline is that it should be leakproof. In case the container is lined with a mesh, ensure that it is breathable enough and does not cause any breathing problems to the pet inside. 
• The Finnair travel with pets feature allows passengers to transport 2 adult pets in a single container. Considering that your animal is small in size and is younger than six months, then three animals can be kept in one crate. 
• On intercontinental flights, the Business class offers flat-bed seats for the passengers. Because of this, carrying pets is not possible on Business Class fare type due to the lack of sufficient storage space. 
• The airline recommends its passengers to not feed their animals just before the take-off of the flight. Nevertheless, owners can bring food and water on board. Further, other essentials like diapers and blankets for the animal can be carried as well. 
• All the essential requirements are to be carried by the flyers.
• The carrier will not be responsible to provide any emergency items for pets in need.
• Usually, when flying with animals, passengers may be assigned a specific seat. Mostly, they are given seats in the rear end of the airline to accommodate the animals smoothly. 

Note: Customers, having their animals onboard, who have made reservations under the Finnair pet policy, will have to fly with the group mentioned on their boarding pass. 

Weight and Size Restrictions of the In-Cabin Pet Policy

Adhering to the correct weight and size restrictions imposed by the airline can save you a lot of trouble. Given below are these limitations: 

• The maximum allowed weight under the Finnair pet in cabin policy is 8 kgs or 18 lbs. Both the weight of the animal and the weight of the container are taken into consideration while calculating the maximum weight limit.
• The maximum allowed dimensions for soft-sided pet carriers should be under 55 cm x 40 cm x23 cm or 22 in x16 in x9 in
• In the case of hard-sided containers, the crate should not exceed 35 cm x 30 cm x20 cm, or 14 in x12 in x 8 in
• Any container or kennel going over this weight and size limit will be rejected. Hence, it is essential that pet carriers must stay well within these limits. 

Note: Sometimes your itinerary might involve a connecting flight that is operated by another carrier. In such a case, as per the Finnair pet policy international, the animal control regulations of the second airline are to be followed. Therefore, the size restrictions might differ under these circumstances. However, you can check the website of your connecting flight airline for more information on pet weight and size limitations.

Checked Baggage Policy for Finnair Animals

When you wish to transport your animals in the hold, you can opt to send them as a piece of checked baggage. This means that you will not be able to connect with your pets during the entire flight. However, the pets will fly on the same aircraft as you. Finnair pet transport via hold is mostly applicable to heavy animals. Nevertheless, there are size restrictions set by the carrier under this method as well. Additionally, other regulations apply too. These all rules and regulations are imposed for the smooth boarding of the pets traveling on this airline.

Since this type of pet travel option is most commonly chosen, it becomes essential to comprehend all the basic conditions. 

Conditions of the Carrying Pets In Hold:

Since transporting animals in the hold involves a slight element of risk, it is extremely important that the passengers follow the given conditions. These regulations are applicable to both Finnair pet policy international and domestic travel requirements. Also, it is the responsibility of the owner to make sure that their animal is in the proper health condition before setting it up for travel in the hold. Such other duties and regularities to be fulfilled by the pet owners under this policy, are given below: 

• The airline ensures that the storage space in the hold is properly air-conditioned. It is to make sure that the pet inside the crate is given a ventilated area to be safe.
• The temperature of the aircraft is also kept at an optimum level to make sure that the animals do not go through any health issues. 
• The hold does not have any lights to adhere to the fire safety regulations. 
• As your pet will be traveling alone in the hold, make sure that its crate is safe. It should be huge enough and allow the animal to move or lie down comfortably. 
• The pet owner will not be permitted to access their animals at any point during their flight journey. 
• After the Finnair pet travel as checked luggage, animals can be collected at the arrival airport. For any assistance concerning the collection of your pets, passengers can reach out to the airline staff present at the airport. 
• In case your flight itinerary involves a connecting flight, you will have to collect your pet at the stopover airport and then check in again. Automatic transfer or shifting of pets at the connecting airports is not possible. 

Weight and Size Limitations for Finnair Hold Animals:

Certain weight and size limitations also apply when your pets are flying in the hold section of the aircraft. When traveling as checked baggage or in the hold, pets must be within the given limitations: 

• If you wish to transport more than one animal in one container, the maximum weight of each animal should not exceed 14 kgs or 30 lbs. 
• Animals weighing more than 40 kgs or 88 lbs will be permitted to travel in the hold if and only when they are kept in a stable container. 
• The combined weight of the pet and its container should be within 50 kgs or 110 lbs. It should not exceed the given restrictions. In case you cross this limit, your pet will have to be shipped as freight, not as a Finnair pet in cabin. 
• The maximum allowed size dimensions may vary with the type of aircraft. On A330/a350 aircraft, the pet containers should be within 122 cm x81 cm x89 cm.
• On A319/320/321 aircraft, the size restriction of the pets is set as 122 cm x81cm x 89 cm.

Note: The size restrictions on European flights can differ due to a change in the type of aircraft. You will be given accurate information at the time of reservation of the ticket. 

Finnair Pet Cargo Policy

One of the flexible animal travel options offered by the Finnair pet policy is its cargo transport service. Under this policy, passengers can send their pets without any company. In other words, pets will be transported unaccompanied on another flight. You need not worry as the cargo service of this airline ensures a safe flight for your pet. This service is mostly chosen by passengers who have to send their pets alone to another destination. The pet can later be picked up at the destination airport upon arrival. 

The following are some of the conditions which have to be followed by the flyers while shipping pets as cargo on this airline: 

• The cargo service must be booked well in advance of the flight’s departure. 
• The pet owners must provide feeding details and other essential information about the pets to the airline since no one will accompany them.
• The airline should be informed in advance whether the animal needs any specific medication or not. 
• Finnair pet policy international requires the passengers to follow the specific animal policies of the respective arrival countries or regions. 
• The cargo pet travel fee can depend on the size and weight of the animal including the container. 

Note: Few regions do not accept pets to travel as cargo. In such cases, you will not be able to utilize this service. 

Documents Required to Travel With Pets on Finnair

To get the approval for pet transport, necessary documents have to be submitted to the Finnair carrier. These can be vaccination certificates or other health reports of your pet. The airline needs these documents to ensure that it is safe to transport the said animal. 

Given below are the certificates required by the air operator as mentioned by the Finnair pet policy: 

• A vaccination certificate confirming that the animal is free of rabies or any other disease. It should be issued by a licensed veterinarian.
• General health certificate of the animal that adheres to the overall fitness of the pet. 
• Quarantine certificate as required by the arrival destination department. 
• Pet passport for cats, dogs, and ferrets on all EU-operated flights. 
• Your pet must be labeled either by a tattoo or a microchip to be accepted onboard. 

Note: It is to be noted that the Finnair pet travel rules can alter slightly based on the destination. Hence, passengers are recommended to connect with the authorities at the arrival and departure destinations for information regarding further regularities. 

Booking a Pet Travel Reservation on Finnair

It is important to book a pet travel reservation a few days prior to the official take-off of your flight. This will give the airline sufficient time to fulfill all the requirements set by it and make the needed arrangements accordingly. 

In this context, booking the Finnair flying with pets service is subjected to the following regulations: 

• All the reservations for the hold luggage pets must be made at least 2 weeks before the scheduled departure of the flight. 
• On flights to and from the USA, flight bookings should be made 3 weeks in advance. 
• You can make your booking of the pet online. The reservation procedure is similar to that of the reservation of a general flight ticket. Simply, go to the official site of the carrier and access the “Booking” section. Enter your details and navigate to the pet travel section. Here, you can make your reservation for your pet easily.
• In case you have already made your reservation but without adding the pet to the ticket, you can contact the airline agents via the chat option. They will then add your Finnair pet travel reservation. 

Should you decide to fly along with your pet, see to it that the names of both are correctly mentioned on the documents issued by the airline. Particularly on the flight tickets, ensuring the same is essential. On observing any misspelled details, you must avail yourself of the Finnair change name on ticket service. In the event that any mishap occurs during the journey, this minor step will prove to be largely helpful.

Note: There might be a limit to the number of animals that will be allowed inside the cabin. Hence, making pet reservations within the allotted time period can be helpful. 

Finnair Pet Travel Fee 

At the time of making a reservation, passengers will be asked to pay certain pet travel fees. Finnair travel with pets feature cannot be accessed in case you have not made the required payment. This travel fee differs based on the type of transport and the flight destination you choose. Sometimes, it may include taxes as well. 

Given below are the exact amount of fees for flying with pets on this airline: 

While to and from certain destinations like India, the pet travel fee will also include some local taxes. The charges for pet reservations made until 30 March 2020 are different. You can go through the official site www.finnair.com to know these exact charges. 

Flying With Service Pets On Finnair

The Finnair pet policy international makes accommodations for service animals as well. These animals refer to those trained and skilled pets that guide disabled passengers. They assist travelers in case of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. There will be no fee charged for the transport of these service animals. However, the airline requires the owners of the service animals to submit valid proof showcasing that the animal is well trained to support and provide the needed assistance. Another certificate showing that the owner requires the guidance of the service pet on the flight should also be submitted. 

Conclusion 

The Finnair pet policy is helpful to different types of fliers. It makes pet travel easy through its various options like cargo, cabin, and checked baggage. This policy ensures that the pet transport service is accessible to all by charging an affordable fee. Disabled passengers are also given priority by allowing the transport of service pets. Overall, this is one of the most accommodating airlines when it comes to pet travel and animal transport.

FAQs- Finnair Pet Policy

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