Can your pet fly with you in the custom’s cabin in China? Yes! And very friendly
If your pet accompanies you to live in the Mainland China, and you want to take them around the country, which airlines would be your first choice?
The pet economy in Mainland China has developed rapidly in recent years. In addition to restaurants and shopping malls in many places across the country, many public facilities have successively launched many pet-friendly services.
For example, the air service mentioned here.
Not every Chinese airline can carry pets as checked luggage
Currently, the main airlines that can handle pets are: Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Capital Airlines.
Pets can only be checked on flights equipped with an aerobic cabin. So be sure to confirm before boarding the flight whether your flight can arrange for pet check-in.
There are actually no big differences in the requirements and restrictions for checked pets among various airlines. The main thing is the limit on the number of checked animals. Basically, it is restricted to only 1-2 pets per flight. Shenzhen Airlines can carry up to 3 pets under 6 months old in the same container, weighing less than 14kg and able to live together.
Only cats or dogs are allowed as checked pets.
The latest reservation time for pets to be checked in by different airlines
China Southern Airlines: apply 72 hours before departure; check in 90 minutes before departure
Hainan Airlines: Make a reservation 24 hours before departure
Shenzhen Airlines: Apply for consignment first, and tickets can be issued only after the application is successful.
Other airlines: Apply 48 hours before departure, check in 2 hours before departure
Hainan Airlines allows pets in the custom’s cabin
Hainan Airlines launched the service of sharing cabins with pets in 2018. It was later suspended for a period of time due to the epidemic and will be resumed in 2022. However, pets can enter the cabin only on flights departing from airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Haikou, Xi'an, Shanghai Hongqiao, Xiamen, Zhengzhou, Taiyuan, Hefei, Changsha, Dalian, Qingdao, Harbin, Urumqi, Wuhan and other places, and the destination is no limit.
A minimum of 2 can be carried on each flight and a maximum of 4 can be carried on each flight. As for whether you can share a cabin with your pet, you need to call the airline in advance to inquire and prepare relevant information in advance to ensure a smooth trip.
Snub-nosed pets cannot be checked in or shared in the same cabin
Basically all mainland airlines do not accept short-nosed pets as checked items. The main breeds include: Garfield cats, Persian cats, Himalayan cats, French Bulldogs, etc.
China Southern Airlines has also added BritishShort-Breed Varieties to the following "blacklist"
Sichuan Airlines adds Folded Ear Varieties to the following “blacklist”
Consignment blacklist
snub-nosed dogs：Affenpinscher, Boston Terrier, Boxers(all breeds), Brussels Griffin, Bulldog(all breeds), Bull Terrier, Pug(all breeds), Cane Corso, Chow Chow, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin/Japanese Spaniel/Chin Chin, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, Mastiff(all breeds), Pekinese, Presa Canario, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Tibetan Spaniel, American Bully, Yankee Terrier, Gull Ter, Staffordshire Terrierr, etc.
snub-nosed cats：Burmese, Exotic Shorthair Cats, Persian, Himalayan, British Shorthair Cats,etc.
special period
Air China: under 8 weeks old, female cats/dogs pregnant or within 7 days of giving birth are not allowed to be checked in
Shenzhen Airlines: female cats/dogs that are pregnant or within 48 hours of giving birth are not allowed to be checked in
Other airlines: under 6 months old, female cats/dogs pregnant or within 48 hours of giving birth are not allowed as checked luggage
vaccine immunity period
All airlines in Chian are require that "pets must be fully immunized and within the rabies vaccination period before they can go through relevant check-in procedures."