2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

[Elfi]

I am flying back with my 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar, via Amsterdam and Paris.
I am flying KLM from CR to AMS where KLM have their own Animal Hotel - which is great and costs 100 €/night and dog - where they will stay less than 24 hours. Petlounge in CR will prepare all the documents required until Madagascar, where VetClinic will receive them.

1) Do I need a pet travel agent there or does the KLM staff unboard and reboard them and bring them through customs?

2) From AMS to CDG and then TNR I will fly Air France. At CDG there are only 1 or 2 hours between the flights.
Do I need an agent there to unboard and reboard them - and will they have to pass customs there?

3) Petlounge told me I don't need a titer test, when they are less than 24 hours in transit. Can you confirm this?
I really want to avoid any trouble during these long and stressful flights.

I have been looking for answers to these questions since 2 weeks and am sent around all the time - from AKF Cargo to KLM, from KLM to Air France and back to Petlounge... Thanks in advance for any help!

[admin]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

I am flying back with my 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar, via Amsterdam and Paris.
I am flying KLM from CR to AMS where KLM have their own Animal Hotel - which is great and costs 100 €/night and dog - where they will stay less than 24 hours. Petlounge in CR will prepare all the documents required until Madagascar, where VetClinic will receive them.

1) Do I need a pet travel agent there or does the KLM staff unboard and reboard them and bring them through customs? Either you or your representative will need to claim and recheck your pet on Air France. This will cause you to enter the Netherlands and these requirements must be met: https://www.pettravel.com/immigration/Holland_Netherlands.cfm.

2) From AMS to CDG and then TNR I will fly Air France. At CDG there are only 1 or 2 hours between the flights.
Do I need an agent there to unboard and reboard them - and will they have to pass customs there? Yes, Air France will require that you recheck your pet on the next leg of your flilght and pay another pet fee. This will cause you to clear customs and enter France. You can use the form you use to enter the Netherlands.

3) Petlounge told me I don't need a titer test, when they are less than 24 hours in transit. Can you confirm this?
I really want to avoid any trouble during these long and stressful flights. --- This is true; however, your pet is flying on another airline out of AMS and KLM will not interline it to another airline.

I have been looking for answers to these questions since 2 weeks and am sent around all the time - from AKF Cargo to KLM, from KLM to Air France and back to Petlounge... Thanks in advance for any help!

See answers above.

Susan

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Thank you very much, Susan! Just saw that you already answered some days ago. This helps me very much!

One more question: What do you mean with "interline" ("KLM will not interline it to another airline".)?

[admin]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Commercial airlines do not move live animals between airline companies. (Interlining) Someone needs to claim the animal and recheck it on the next airline.
Susan

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Thanks for your explanation! In the meantime I received information from 3 different sources (KLM, Zoologistics/NL and a travel blog) that the dogs are checked through by KLM staff in Amsterdam, if they fly on ONE same airway bill. Astonishingly this means that I would not need an agent - and also no titer test - in Amsterdam, because the dogs are not brought through customs. So there are different procedures in Europe.

But I would need one in Paris, because they are unboarded, brought through customs - and need a titer test - and reboarded.

[admin]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Elfi - but are they changing airline companies in AMS or is KLM flying them out of the Netherlands?
Susan

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Susan - after having finally been happy with staying with KLM (from JSO -> AMS -> JNB) and not change to AF, a renowned pet travel agent informed me that KLM does not fly out pets from Costa Rica to AMS since some time... They are looking into another route for me, avoiding the EC.

Contradictory info also on the supercomplicated 5x blood test (distemper etc) for JNB: One agent says as Madagascar is a SADC country and therefore requires this test (which is not true - my very reliable agent in Antananarivo sent me the requirements), another says it is not, if they are in transit. I am just a private person with 2 dogs who wants to travel from A to B, and I am tired of all these "professionals" who give me contradictory information. Will keep you informed of the result.

[admin]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Elfi - KLM's flights out of CR are operated by Copa Airlines. This would require a change of airline companies at AMS. It is looking like you will need to change airlines in some country. As for the blood tests for JNB, this would depend on whether your airlines will be holding your cat during the layover. If yes, then they should not be required as your pet will transit South Africa. If no due to a long layover, then the tests and other requirements for import wiil be required.

You have mentioned before that you did not care for airlines flying to the US, but you could fly Copa to MIA, then Lufthansa would get you to Nairobi, then you can take Kenyan Airlilnes. The downside is the air cargo requirement into Kenya. Just throwing this out there to further confuse you (sorry).
Susan

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Elfi - KLM's flights out of CR are operated by Copa Airlines.

I checked the flights in November, and my flight is definitely operated by KLM - not by Copa, according to my ticket and the listed flights. It seems this will be starting in October or November. There are other KLM flights which are operated by Copa, but not mine (unless they made a mistake on the schedule).

You have mentioned before that you did not care for airlines flying to the US, but you could fly Copa to MIA, then Lufthansa would get you to Nairobi, then you can take Kenyan Airlilnes. The downside is the air cargo requirement into Kenya. Just throwing this out there to further confuse you (sorry).
Susan

One agent who is in Atlanta, suggested to send them to Atlanta and hold them 2 days to send them on a flight to Nairobi, as you suggest (maybe this is with LH as you write). I am still hesitating and waiting for a 2nd suggestion, because I read very bad reviews for Kenyan Airlines (lost and never replaced luggage, very arrogant staff), so I wonder if I an trust them with my pooches. Cargo requirement is not a problem, because they will be in cargo during all flights (or did I misunderstand you?).

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Elfi - KLM's flights out of CR are operated by Copa Airlines.

I checked the flights in November, and my flight is definitely operated by KLM - not by Copa, according to my ticket and the listed flights. It seems this will be starting in October or November. There are other KLM flights which are operated by Copa, but not mine (unless they made a mistake on the schedule).

You have mentioned before that you did not care for airlines flying to the US, but you could fly Copa to MIA, then Lufthansa would get you to Nairobi, then you can take Kenyan Airlilnes. The downside is the air cargo requirement into Kenya. Just throwing this out there to further confuse you (sorry).
Susan

One agent who is in Atlanta, suggested to send them to Atlanta and hold them 2 days to send them on a flight to Nairobi, as you suggest (maybe this is with LH as you write). I am still hesitating and waiting for a 2nd suggestion, because I read very bad reviews for Kenyan Airlines (lost and never replaced luggage, very arrogant staff), so I wonder if I an trust them with my pooches. Cargo requirement is not a problem, because they will be in cargo during all flights (or did I misunderstand you?).

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Just an update to inform others: Had to buy kennels 1 size bigger (IATA500) due to new airline regulations concerning the space between the ears of the dog sitting in the kennel and the kennel cover. Agent suggested JSO - ATL - then Nairobi with Kenyan to TNR. New kennels too big for Kenyan, because they switched to a smaller plane. Same for JNB: SAA airplane to TNR too small for the bigger kennels. 5x blood test not required for transit to Madagascar, if the dogs stay in the kennel (more than 30 hours) or in a petlounge; there are 2 companies who have a petlounge.
Latest suggestion was to send the dogs JSO - ATL, revaccinate rabies and keep them 3 weeks in pension before sending them in transit through Europe, because one does not have a titer test. The quote blew me off my feet.
Now 2 options: Either find my dogs a loving home here in Nicaragua, or make a titer test asap, wait 45 days for the result and then 3 months before flying. Which means I will stay in an empty house (everything sold) for about 5 monthsand cancel all flights and hotel bookings...

[admin]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Elfi - if you are getting the titer test to transit the EU, then the 3 month wait begins the day the blood sample is taken for the titer test, not when the results are returned. Be sure that your dogs are microchipped, then vaccinated for rabies at least 30 days before the titer test. If you get the test done, you can take any route with a layover in the EU, even Air France.
Susan

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Oh! I did not know this! The blood is taken in Nicaragua and sent to a lab in Texas. So nevertheless we will be able to travel in 3 months minus 45 days?

[Elfi]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Sorry - this was nonsense. The blood will be taken this Monday (Oct 29), so we can fly in February.

[admin]

Re: 2 dogs from Costa Rica to Madagascar via AMS and CDG

Elfi - if you are in the military, you can use the lab in Texas. Best to send the blood sample to Kansas State University. Kansas City is an EU-approved lab.