In-Cabin Pet Policy

If your small dog or cat meets the requirements listed in Alitalia pet policy to travel in-cabin, you will need an approved airline pet carrier. The carrier must have a waterproof bottom, have room for your pet to stand up and turn around, must fasten securly and have adequate ventilation.

Pets Allowed:

Small, domestic cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters and birds. Maximum weight of pet and carrier must not exceed 10 kg (22 pounds).

Age Requirements:

Pets must be 3 months of age to fly Alitalia.

Restrictions:

A pet carrier is not included in the carry-on baggage limitations. An additional charge will be levied as excess baggage.

Pets cannot fly in the cabin to South Africa. No pets are accepted on flights to or from the United Kingdom or Ireland.

Carrier Requirements:

The maximum size of carrier will depend on the aircraft serving your route. The general rule is 28W x 40L x 20H cm. (11W x 16L x 8H in.) Your carrier can be a bit higher if it is a soft-sided carrier and can compress down a few inches. Carriers must be secure, allow for your pet to stand up and turn around and must have a waterproof bottom. A pet pad must be provided.

Reservations

You should contact Alitalia directly to make a reservation for your pet.

Forms Required

A health certificate is required when flying your rabbit or hamster with Alitalia Air. All required forms for your destination country must be provided. Pets flying within the EU must have EU Pet Passports.

Cost

The cost will depend on your route and will run anywhere from 40€ to $200USD.

Service and Emotional Support Animals

Alitalia permits guide and emotional service dogs to accompany passengers with disabilities at no charge on flights that involve the United States. Alitalia only accepts dogs as service animals, whether ESA or non ESA.

Passengers are required to present fully completed documentation to an Alitalia representative at least 48 hours prior to scheduled departure.

On all flights or portions of flights exceeding 8 hours, Alitalia will require assurance that the dog will not need to relieve itself or the pet owner must supply pads for that purpose.

Owners of guide and service dogs should be prepared to show identification cards, other written documentation, presence of harnesses, tags, or verbal assurances that their dog is a trained service dog.

Alitalia will limit the number of Emotional Support Animal (ESA) to one per passenger per flight.

Owners of emotional support animals must provide supporting documentation including a letter from a licensed mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or other medical doctor specifically treating the passenger's mental or emotional disability) stating that the passenger is under their care and has a mental or emotional health-related disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM IV).

The letter must also state that the animal accompanying the passenger is necessary to the passenger's mental health or treatment or to assist the passenger with his or her disability during the flight or at the passenger's destination. Licensing information such as State in which professional is licensed, contact information, date of licensed expiration, etc. should be included.

Checked Baggage Pet Policy

If your pet is too large to fly in the cabin, then Alitalia may fly it in the cargo hold as checked baggage as long as an adult passenger is flying with it. This section of the cargo department has the same temperature and pressure as the passenger cabin.

Pets Allowed

Dogs or cats weighing more than 22 lbs. (10 kg) up to a maximum weight of 165.3 lbs. (75 kg) are permitted to travel as checked baggage on Alitalia flights. Alitalia will also fly ferrets, rabbits, hamsters and birds.

Age

Pets must be at least 3 months of age to travel as checked baggage.

Layovers

As long as you are flying in and out of your layover country on Alitalia and your layover is not more than 3 hours, then Alitalia will interline your pet (move it from one plane to the next plane). If your layover is more than 3 hours, then you will need to contact Alitalia to see whether you will need to claim your pet and clear customs in the layover country.

Check-In

Plan to arrive at the airport and check your pet in at the ticket counter well in advance of departure.

Breed Restrictions

See banned breeds below.

Temperature Restrictions

If, at any point (origination/transit/destination) during your pet's route, the temperature is forecast to be less than 10 degrees F (-12°C) or greater than 85°F (29°C), your pet will be refused transport as checked baggage. There are no exceptions to these temperature restrictions.

Forms Required

Your pet should have a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of travel.

Crate Requirements

Crates must be IATA compliant hard plastic crates or wood crates built to IATA CR 1 Live Animal Regulations with adequate ventilation. Metal hardware must be used to fasten the top and bottom halves of your pet's crate together, and cable ties must be provided for the crate doors (these are available in our accessory kits).

You will need to acclimate your pet to its crate prior to travel. More information on acclimating your pet to its crate >>>.

More Information

Click here for crate requirements.

Need an IATA compliant pet crate? Have a crate already? Need accessories for your crate?

Manifest (Air) Cargo Pet Policies

If your pet is over 75 kg or it is flying unaccompanied, Alitalia will transport it as air cargo. This portion of the cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled.

Reservations

You need to contact Alitalia's Cargo Department to make a reservation for your pet.

Check-In and Pick Up

You will check in your pet at Alitalia's cargo facility which is located on airport grounds of the origination airport. At that time, an Air Waybill must be completed identifying the shipper (consignor), receiver (consignee) and the details of the flight and animal involved. Your pet will be claimed at Alitalia's cargo facility in the destination airport.

Forms Required

Your pet must have a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of travel and all documents required for the destination country.

Temperature Restrictions

See checked baggage policies above.

Layovers

See checked baggage policies above.

Crate Requirements

See checked baggage policies above.

Airports Served

Alitalia Air serves cities all over the EU as well as Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Albania.

Other Animals

Alitalia Air will transport rabbits, hamsters, ferrets and birds as well as dogs and cats.

Need more information?

The information published here is a guideline for airline pet policies for Alitalia Airlines. Further detail on airline pet policies as well as pet passport information are available at minimal cost at PetTravelStore.com. We also stock all the equipment and accessories you will need for traveling with your pet. Same day shipping Monday through Friday until 4:00 PM EST.

 

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