Air Baltic Rules for Traveling with Assistance Dogs

For many people with disabilities or some medical conditions, service animals are not just pets; they are indispensable companions. To facilitate the travel of passengers and their assistance animals, Air Baltic offers dedicated support on how to travel with your service animal and provides necessary guidelines to both you and the animal, ensuring no troubles during the journey.

This guide will take you through all of Air Baltic’s rules for traveling with assistance dogs, the necessary documentation, rules to follow on board, the airport procedures, as well as some helpful advice for an ideal travel experience.

Air Baltic Special Assistance Services for Assistance Dogs

When traveling with a service dog, it is essential to make necessary preparations to guarantee a hassle-free trip with Air Baltic. Here’s what you need to know if you have a service dog on an Air Baltic flight:

• Planning Your Flight with an Assistance Dog
  • Crucially, when you make your flight reservation, make sure to bring with you the certificate that confirms that your dog is a trained assistance animal.

• Required Documentation:

If you have an assistance dog, it should have a valid registration permit from a recognized training organization/school. The latter must be recognized by one of the organizations listed below:

• Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
• International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)
• Assistance Dogs Europe (ADEu)
• European Guide Dog Federation (EGDFEF)

• Specific Country Regulations for Carrying a Service Dog On An Air Baltic Flight:
  • For citizens or residents of Latvia: You need a certificate from the Agricultural Data Center.
  • For citizens or residents of Germany: Special local regulations apply. Be sure to obtain the correct information only from the legally authorized authorities in all federal states that confirm the registration of these animals as assistance dogs (a complete list is available on the official resources of the German government).

• For travel to the United Kingdom:
  • Your assistance dog’s training certificate must be from a school recognized by either Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF).
  • You are required to contact the UK Animal Reception Centre at your arrival airport at least 72 hours before your flight.
    • London Gatwick Airport: Animal Aircare, Phone: +44 1293 555580, Email: office@animalaircare.co.uk, Website: https://animalaircare.co.uk/
    • Aberdeen Airport: ABM, Phone: +44 1224 725 060, Mobile: +44 7471 996455, Email: prmaberdeen@abm.com
  • The Animal Reception Center will review if your assistance dog fits the standards of the UK government and will release a confirmation letter. This pre-approval letter has to be shown at the time of your flight to the UK. If you do not have this, your assistance dog will not be allowed to fly with you to the UK.
  • With your country of origin, your pet will also have to obtain the following: a pet passport, an animal health certificate (AHC), a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a tapeworm treatment (1–5 days before arriving in the UK, recorded in the pet passport), blood tests (if required), and a declaration stating the pet is traveling for non-commercial reasons.
  • The moment you arrive in the UK, an Animal Reception Center staff member will greet you and your assistance dog at the aircraft for necessary checks.

• For travel within an EU member state: The necessary documents are: an ID-marking microchip, a pet passport, and an anti-rabies vaccination. The pets must be at least 15 weeks old since the first rabies vaccine can be given at the age of 12 weeks, and the immunity should be developed within 21 days.
• For travel from a non-EU country: Additional or other rules may apply. Always ensure that you review the specific regulations of your destination country before your trip.

Important Considerations When Traveling With a Service Animal on Air Baltic:

Hdere are some aspects to keep in mind when traveling on an Air Baltic flight with a service dog:

• Entry Rules: Never forget to check the entry rules permitting assistance dogs in the country you are traveling to, as in some countries, entry is strictly banned or limited.
• Document Clarification: If you are unsure which documents you require, get in touch with Air Baltic before your flight to make things clear.
• Limited Space: Travelers are informed of the limited space for the carriage of passengers with service dogs in the cabin. Therefore, it is suggested to purchase tickets as soon as possible.
• Emotional Support Animals: Emotional support animals are not permitted in the cabin as service dogs according to the rules of Air Baltic. However, those animals can travel with the passengers as pets.
• Assistance Dog Acceptance Checklist: Remember to fill in the Service Dog Acceptance Checklist before your flight.

Also Read: Air Baltic Special Assistance

During the Flight

Here are the things to remember when bringing your support dog along on a flight:

• No Carrier or Weight Limit: Your service dog doesn’t need to be in a carrier, and there is no maximum weight for service dogs that are trained.
• Seating: The dog must sit on the floor at your feet and not obstruct the aisle.
• Exit Row Restriction: You will not have the possibility to sit in the emergency exit row in the case that you are taking a service dog with you.
• Travel Restraining Harness: Ensure your dog has a travel restraining harness.

Conclusion

Traveling with your assistance dog by Air Baltic is definitely feasible only if adequately prepared and documented.  Certifications and health requirements, comfort on the plane, and country-specific rules are the primary ideas that should be grasped for the travel to be as stressless as possible. By using the special assistance services of Air Baltic, your loyal companion and you can fly without any worry at all.

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