Bringing my dog from Vientiane/Bangkok to Entebbe

[humqdpf]

I want to bring my dog from Vientiane to Entebbe as accompanied baggage. Although I have organised the paperwork, vaccinations and other items, I am still having problems with airlines. Most airlines will carry a pet but most have restrictions or some very silly quibbles and I have not desire to get stuck with my dog in some place like Dubai with no way of completing my journey.

On the Vientiane to Bangkok leg:

Thai won't currently carry pets from Vientiane to Bangkok because the aircraft is incompatible.

Lao Airways insist on sedating a pet before flying (although there may be a way around that). Some airlines will refuse to take a dog that is sedated and vets are completely against sedation for health reasons.

On the Bangkok to Entebbe route:

Emirates - on their website they say they will not carry a pet longer than 17 hours FOR THE ENTIRE JOURNEY, which presumably includes the Vientiane-Bangkok leg. This makes the journey impossible.

Qatar Airways say on their website that they will not accept a pet in transit from another airline - which I take it to mean that they will not accept my dog from Lao Airways in Bangkok. This is a pity as the journey will be the shortest if I fly Qatar.

Turkish Airways have some issue with the size of crates - this is despite the fact that the size of crates are mandated by international regulations and therefore even a medium-size dog will involve a crate larger than their limit. Besides, to fly with Turkish airlines, the journey will be lengthy.

I have looked at various other options. South Africa Airlines is really expensive and a very long journey with some additional issues that I was not able to clarify. Flying to Vietnam involves even longer journeys and anyway runs into the same kind of nonsense with restrictions of particular airlines.

I am reluctant to fly via an EU airport because of a) being involved in crazy EU bureaucracy and enormous expense and c) very long journey.

If anyone knows of a quick way for me to bring my dog into and out of Thailand so that I can get around the restrictions by checking into Qatar in Bangkok, please let me know.

If anyone knows of some sort of pet hotel system in Dubai or Bangkok to get around the Emirates or Qatar restrictions, please let me know.

I have looked into bringing my dog as cargo. The expense is very enormous (I have received quotations as high as US$7,000!), the bureaucracy in Entebbe is high and expensive - much easier and cheaper to bring my dog into Entebbe as accompanied baggage.

[JockPieandBeans]

I would doubt very much, if any airline would fly a dog as accompanied baggage.

The CAA would refer, and I would guess, stump up or leave behind.

[Xircal]

Some tips: http://www.pettravel.com/airline_rules.cfm

Where you mention Qatar not accepting a pet from another airline, they're talking about codeshare flights. Those take place when an airline doesn't fly to a certain destination, or doesn't have a flight departing at a certain time, but their codeshare partner does. Under the codeshare agreement each airline agrees to accept the other airlines passengers and cargo.

For example, I flew Emirates from Amsterdam to Bangkok via Dubai. On the return flight the Bangkok to Dubai leg was operated by Thai under a codeshare agreement. In other words, for part of the return journey, I flew on a Thai flight with a ticket booked with Emirates.

So if you're organising the trip from Vientiane to Bangkok yourself and Qatar isn't aware of that, then you don't to need to worry about their rule of not accepting your dog from another carrier. For all they know, you could have been in Bangkok the whole time.

It's a similar story with Emirates. Provided you don't mention that you've just flown in from Vientiane, they'll just assume you're a Bangkok resident, or someone on vacation there.

I looked at Wikipedia for Entebbe International Airport to see which airlines fly there which are these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entebbe_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations

By comparing that with airlines which fly to Bangkok, there might be an alternative carrier such as Ethiopian Airlines for example which you could have a look at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnabhumi_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations

[bendejo]

For the trip Vientiane-Bangkok you may want to consider a land route.

I've done this a lot of times: bus from Talat Sao to Udon Thani. Another bus onward to Khon Kaen, where I usually stay overnight, then a bus to Bangkok.

No idea about transporting the dog.

I don't mean this confrontationally, but maybe you should do some thinking about whether all this business with the dog is worth the trouble.

[slightlychilled]

Try Bangkok Airways, you can book the entire journey with them as a code share. They might be able to advise you of your options especially for the transit time in Bangkok. Your problem arises in the length of your journey - someone has to walk / feed / water your dog and that's not something airlines take responsibility for.

Edited February 21, 2015 by slightlychilled

[Rooo]

Moved to travel Forum for extra input.

[humqdpf]

So if you're organising the trip from Vientiane to Bangkok yourself and Qatar isn't aware of that, then you don't to need to worry about their rule of not accepting your dog from another carrier. For all they know, you could have been in Bangkok the whole time.

It's a similar story with Emirates. Provided you don't mention that you've just flown in from Vientiane, they'll just assume you're a Bangkok resident, or someone on vacation there.

To check in at Emirates or Qatar Airways in Bangkok, you have to import your pet into Thailand, then go through the export process. That requires quite a lot of time (a few weeks at least) and expense for Thai vaccinations and paperwork.

If you don't check in at Emirates or Qatar, you have clearly brought the pet as accompanied baggage via another airline.

[humqdpf]

I would doubt very much, if any airline would fly a dog as accompanied baggage.

The CAA would refer, and I would guess, stump up or leave behind.

Actually many or perhaps most do accept pets as accompanied baggage but under certain conditions. The pet must be in an approved crate and be kept in the hold.

[humqdpf]

Try Bangkok Airways, you can book the entire journey with them as a code share. They might be able to advise you of your options especially for the transit time in Bangkok. Your problem arises in the length of your journey - someone has to walk / feed / water your dog and that's not something airlines take responsibility for.

Friends who have done this before say that airlines are very different about the way they treat a pet. Some let you visit your pet during layovers to do some walking and feeding but some don't.

I am not sure I can book the whole flight as a code share with Bangkok Airways if they don't code share already. Certainly it does not allow you to do so on their website.

[humqdpf]

For the trip Vientiane-Bangkok you may want to consider a land route.

I've done this a lot of times: bus from Talat Sao to Udon Thani. Another bus onward to Khon Kaen, where I usually stay overnight, then a bus to Bangkok.

No idea about transporting the dog.

I don't mean this confrontationally, but maybe you should do some thinking about whether all this business with the dog is worth the trouble.

I have considered the land route and travelled it myself many times in the past.

Unfortunately, as Laos is a foreign country, I would have to do the import process into Thailand and then re-export out of Thailand, costing a lot of time (weeks, if the Thai rules on rabies vaccination is the same as international regs), paperwork and money.

I accept what you say about whether transporting my dog is worth the trouble but, as the ad says, (paraphrasing) "Some things are priceless, for everything else, there is Mastercard."

[Aussieroaming]

Book two tickets..the first from lao to BKK

Second ticket BKK to Uganda on Qatar.

That way as far as qatar is concerned you commenced the journey in BKK

[slightlychilled]

Book two tickets..the first from lao to BKK

Second ticket BKK to Uganda on Qatar.

That way as far as qatar is concerned you commenced the journey in BKK

That doesn't solve anything, you still have the problem of importing the dog into Thailand.

OP travelling via Vietnam may be your best option as the paperwork requirements are minimal compared to Thailand - all you need is a good health and rabies certificate to import your dog for however long is necessary before your flight to Entebbe. Saigon to Entebbe with Emirates is then less than the 17 hour journey cut-off time, should be all good.

[humqdpf]

Book two tickets..the first from lao to BKK

Second ticket BKK to Uganda on Qatar.

That way as far as qatar is concerned you commenced the journey in BKK

And when they say to me, "Sorry sir but your dog cannot continue with you as unaccompanied baggage because of our rule, as stated on our website, that we do not accept dogs in transit from another airline," what do I do then?

[bendejo]

[...]

I accept what you say about whether transporting my dog is worth the trouble but, as the ad says, (paraphrasing) "Some things are priceless, for everything else, there is Mastercard."

Alas, if it were American Express Titanium you could hire a private jet

[ubonjoe]

Troll posts and replied to them have been removed.

[ALFREDO]

I don't mean this confrontationally, but maybe you should do some thinking about whether all this business with the dog is worth the trouble.

Would you leave your best friend behind, after you stayed with him lived with him for some years, everyday, most of a days time?

Some and me, see a dog, they have since long as a friend, not as a thing, a car or a motorbike you sale

and just buy a new one than where you arrive.

[ALFREDO]

So if you're organising the trip from Vientiane to Bangkok yourself and Qatar isn't aware of that, then you don't to need to worry about their rule of not accepting your dog from another carrier. For all they know, you could have been in Bangkok the whole time.

It's a similar story with Emirates. Provided you don't mention that you've just flown in from Vientiane, they'll just assume you're a Bangkok resident, or someone on vacation there.

To check in at Emirates or Qatar Airways in Bangkok, you have to import your pet into Thailand, then go through the export process. That requires quite a lot of time (a few weeks at least) and expense for Thai vaccinations and paperwork.

If you don't check in at Emirates or Qatar, you have clearly brought the pet as accompanied baggage via another airline.

Have, some years ago a Dogue de Bordeaux imported to TH from Austria , costed me 200 Baht and 10 minutes in airport.

He flew with me as special luggage with same plane and costed one way 630.- euro

Do not know from exporting.

NEWS from your trip?

Edited June 10, 2015 by ALFREDO

[suzythaivisa]

Book two tickets..the first from lao to BKK

Second ticket BKK to Uganda on Qatar.

That way as far as qatar is concerned you commenced the journey in BKK

And when they say to me, "Sorry sir but your dog cannot continue with you as unaccompanied baggage because of our rule, as stated on our website, that we do not accept dogs in transit from another airline," what do I do then?

what do I do then? suicide is the best option