Hawaiian Airlines
Pet Policy
Hawaiian Airlines Pet Policy
There is no match to the incredible experiences one gathers while trotting around the globe. It almost feels surreal exploring the world beyond our own. Nature can help you unravel different shades of your personality. But if you have a pawed friend waiting for you at home, you will long to return to them. But have you ever imagined the fun you will have if you tag them along? Experiencing adventures with their pets is still a dream for many.
We understand that traveling with furry beings has always been a problem. So naturally, their well-being and security are the primary concerns of every pet parent. But unfortunately, the journey may also get uncomfortable for your pets. So often, we humans fail to understand what they are trying to communicate, which adds up to the risks of traveling with them.
Usually, people choose to commute using personal vehicles while with their pets. It is a safe option for both pets and their parents. The animals are typically familiar with this. However, the real challenge comes when one decides to fly overseas with their furry friends. Many airlines do not allow pets on board or have strict guidelines that make it uncomfortable for them to travel. So, it is usually a task while planning a trip with your pets. You will have to be cautious from choosing the correct airline to travel with to selecting the ideal stay. One wrong step can pose a threat to your pet’s safety.
So, if you are planning a trip soon and are unwilling to leave your pawed friends behind, we have taken it upon ourselves to research on your behalf to help you find an ideal airline to fly with your pets safely.
One of the most reputed airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, allows you to travel with your pets and has laid guidelines that will be easy on both you and the furry being. This article will provide you with a well-informed guide on the airlines’ pet policies if you plan to travel with them.
FAQs
1. What Is Hawaiian Airlines Pet Policy?
One of the ten largest commercial airlines in the United States, Hawaiian Airlines offers an opportunity for all pet parents to travel with their pets. However, they have prepared guidelines to ensure the safety of all passengers and pets. Customers are the number one priority of every service industry, but employees also play a significant role in the operation of a business. Therefore, the airline wants to provide a pleasant flying experience to their guests and employees.
If you have a dog, cat, or any household bird and want to travel with them, Hawaiian Airlines can help you out. However, they have prepared separate regulations for pets, service animals, and emotional support animals. In addition, the airline has ensured that its rules comply with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s laws regarding shipping service animals.
You can choose to check your pet into the passenger cabin or as check-in baggage. They have eased restrictions on service animals from last year and have also changed rules for emotional support animals. The latter does not require any particular classification. However, the airline now considers it as pets.
2. Is It Safe To Ship My Pet With Hawaiian Airlines Cargo?
Pet parents hesitate to carry their pets in cargo. Though it is safe for small animals, they may feel trapped or suffocated if the crew does not ensure their comfort. It may also be a terrifying experience for the animal. In addition, restricting them to a small space with no human interaction may develop anxiety and make them restless. Therefore, carrying your pets in the passenger cabin or traveling with an airline with a good reputation is recommended.
Often, crew members mistreat the animal by mishandling them and not caring for its comfort and safety. In addition, airlines often do not lay proper guidelines for checking in pets as baggage and fail to make appropriate arrangements.
However, it is safe to ship your pet with Hawaiian Airlines Cargo. The weight of the animal should be within 70 lbs. The airlines have imposed strict regulations to avoid suffocation. So, they do not allow pets if not much floor space is left.
3. How Much Does It Cost To Reserve A Pet?
While traveling, the budget is also a significant factor that everyone considers. Flying with your pet can be a new experience for you. It might also be challenging mentally for both you and your pet. At the same time, it can be a little heavy on your pocket.
Few airlines charge excessively to transport animals, even within a state. Fortunately, that is not the case with Hawaiian Airlines. It offers low-cost yet premium service for animals. If you are carrying your pet in the cabin, then you will have to pay only USD 35.00 within the State of Hawaii. If you are flying between Hawaii and North Korea, it would cost you only 125.00 USD for your pet.
4. Does Hawaiian Airlines Allow Pets In A Cabin On International Flights?
International flights can be scary and tiring for animals. In addition, many airlines do not permit flying dogs, cats, birds, or other pets on international flights as the pet can develop health issues. It may also get difficult to provide immediate medical help during such situations. Therefore, it is best if pet parents refrain from carrying pets on long-distance flights.
Unfortunately, Hawaiian Airlines do not allow pets in the cabin on international flights. However, they do offer services to ship service animals to select locations. Additionally, active-duty U.S. Military personnel and dependents on official orders can carry their cats and dogs on direct flights between Honolulu and selected cities in Japan only as checked baggage.
The airlines do not provide international flight services to pets to ensure the safety and security of the passengers, crew, and your pet.
5. How Do I Reserve A Pet On A Hawaiian Airlines Flight?
Booking a flight with your pet can be a headache at times. Some airlines have made it mandatory to show documentation before allowing your pet on board. It might become a hectic job for many. Even if you complete the documentation process, airlines often ask you to notify them in advance to reconfirm your booking.
Hawaiian Airlines provide a seamless booking process for your pets. They will give you two options for selecting whether you would like to check your pet in the cabin or the baggage section when making your reservations.
The airlines also request passengers carry proper documents and arrive an hour early to inspect their pet and carrier. Again, they take these steps to ensure the safety of the animal.
6. What Methods Of Transport Do Hawaiian Airlines Air Lines Provide For My Pet?
Every pet is unique, and they deserve and require special attention, especially while traveling. Unfortunately, some airlines fail to provide quality services even after promising to. Many people have shared their traumatic experiences on the internet about their pets getting mistreated and even developing physical problems during the journey.
Reading such reviews scares other pet parents, and they get discouraged from traveling with their animals. In addition, the irresponsibility of a few service providers ruins the whole industry’s reputation. Therefore, it often confuses the customer when opting for an airline.
Hawaiian Airlines is an ideal option as it provides three methods of transport. You can choose to transport your pet by checking in the passenger cabin or baggage or even transporting them via cargo. Furthermore, the airline implements preventive measures to provide the guests and their pets with utmost comfort. Therefore, it is safe to call them a pet-friendly airline.
7. Does My Pet Qualify For Travel In The Passenger Cabin?
Hawaiian Airlines offers its customers the service to travel with their pets comfortably. However, they only allow dogs, cats, and household birds to travel. In addition, the airlines have laid down strict rules regarding the type of pets it will enable onboard to ensure a safe journey for guests, crew members, and pets.
In terms of birds, they will not allow poultry and wild birds like chickens, ducks, pigeons, peacocks, falcons, etc. The airlines will also not permit the attendance of ferrets, rodents, guinea pigs, mice, rats, spiders, mosquitoes, reptiles, etc., in the passenger cabin or cargo.
The airlines do not allow any dogs or cats less than eight weeks old and household birds less than two weeks old to avoid any health hazard to your animal during the journey. So, if your pet meets the criteria, they are qualified for travel in the passenger cabin.
Your pet would also require an ideal kennel to be allowed into the passenger cabin. Remember to carry a kennel with soft sides that do not allow leaks. A perfect kennel would be no larger than 16 inches long by 10 inches wide by 9.5 inches tall. It should be large enough that allows your pet to sit, stand, move and lie down comfortably.
However, the airline does not permit pets in the cabin for any flight from New York, Massachusetts, Florida, and Texas.
The airlines have also laid breed restrictions to safeguard your animal from suffering from any respiratory difficulties in transit or the tropical climate of Hawaii. Therefore, the service provider heavily discourages animals that are short-nosed animals or brachycephalic breeds as check-in baggage.
8. Does Hawaiian Airlines Limit The Number Of Pets Allowed In The Cabin Per Flight?
It becomes challenging for pet parents to leave any baby behind while traveling. However, unfortunately, airlines also can allow a limited number of pets on board to avoid chaos. Passengers should be understanding of the policies that airlines adopt as they implement them while keeping their guests as a priority.
Similarly, Hawaiian Airlines have similar guidelines set for guests carrying their pets. If enough space is available, each passenger would be allowed to bring one animal with one carrier. However, there are exceptions for two puppies or kittens of a similar breed or litter.
9. What Are The Pet Carrier Requirements At Hawaiian Airlines?
Flying long distances sometimes becomes tiring for people, so we can only imagine how daunting it might be for pawed beings to be in an unfamiliar place at a stretch. Some reports suggest that flying for long hours can not only be physically exhausting for animals but can also affect their mental health. The emotions of animals are more complex than those of humans. Therefore, it becomes more of a challenge as it can be tough to understand their issues.
Airlines, while laying restrictions, try to tick off all the boxes. They prioritize the well-being of passengers and their animals. Therefore, they have set the pet carrier requirements accordingly.
If you check in your animal as check-in baggage, the kennel’s weight and pet must not exceed 70 lbs. However, if, by any chance, you surpass the weight limit, the airline will help you transport your animal through their cargo department.
The airlines have mentioned a few pet carrier requirements that every pet owner should follow. The kennels must be hard-sided and secure for the animal. It should be spacious so that your pet can sit, stand or lay down comfortably. The carrier should be leak-proof and have sturdy handles for you to carry it. It should also have an absorbent material like a blanket, towel, pad, or shredded paper.
Hawaiian Airlines only accept kennels from the series 100, 200, 300, and 400. The permitted dimensions of the carrier range from 21″L * 16″W * 15″ H to 36″L*25*W*27″ H, and the weight range is from 18 lbs to 70 lbs.
10. What Health Documentation Is Required?
As passengers, we often disregard the mandatory rules laid down by airlines as we find it hectic to meet the requirements. However, we fail to understand that the service providers take these precautionary measures to ensure our well-being.
The human body can endure a lot more than animals. Therefore, it is necessary to take preventive actions to safeguard them. As the airlines will be transporting your animal, its safety will be their responsibility. Therefore, every airline has made it mandatory for pet parents to present proper documents before allowing their pets on board.
Hawaiian Airlines only allows pets to travel if the owner can provide an animal health certificate. Pet parents can easily acquire the certification from their animal’s veterinarian and should submit it to the airlines a few days before the scheduled travel date.
Another rule that the airline has mandated for direct flights from North America to LIH, OGG, or KOA. If you want to ship your pet on a flight of these routes, you will have to produce a legitimate Neighbor Island Inspection permit from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and a health certificate.
For birds, the requirements are a bit different. If you are carrying a bird, you must submit a Plant Quarantine Import Permit and a Poultry and Bird Permit from the Livestock Disease Control Branch.
11. Do I Need A New Health Certificate For My Pet's Return Trip?
The health status of our pets may change within days or even hours. Traveling or flying long distances increases the chance of them being in distress. It can create complications in their physical or mental health. Therefore, getting a proper checkup done before and after the flight is always recommended. It is primarily the responsibility of the pet parents to ensure that their pet is not feeling uncomfortable during the trip.
Airlines that provide shipping services for pets give it a lot of priority as they will be held responsible for any mishap. Therefore, they ensure to check proper documents before onboarding any animal.
Pet parents often wonder if they would have to worry about getting another health certificate while on their trip. If they can prove that their animal is fit for traveling, the answer is positive. However, the last certificate should not exceed 14 days before arriving at their destination if they are returning to Hawaii.
However, if they are returning to the U.S.Mainland, they will have to produce a new health certificate if the earlier one is 30 days old from their return date.
12. How Old Does My Pet Have To Be To Travel?
Pet parents always want to keep their animals close to them. It is especially hard for them to part if their pets are very young. However, traveling with young animals who are still not correctly fit for traveling can prove to be hazardous for them.
Like human babies, it is essential to take care of young animals. But unfortunately, their body also undergoes a series of changes before developing proper immunity. So, even doctors don’t recommend traveling with them.
Similarly, airlines also do not encourage flying with pets who are yet to be fit for the journey. There is a similar rule set for flying with mature animals. Pets who have crossed a certain age would not be allowed to fly. The airlines do not allow this as there can be space issues, and old animals may require special medical attention during the flight.
Therefore, Hawaiian Airlines have mentioned that they will only allow animals at least eight weeks old. Your pet should not be more than six months old, and else the airline would refuse to take reservations.
13. How Many Pets Can Fly In A Single Kennel?
An aircraft is an enclosed space, and at times it even gets difficult for humans accustomed to flying to stay healthy in such an environment. Now, imagine being trapped in another closed space within an enclosed area. Even the sound of it feels terrifying.
So, you can only think how difficult it will be for your pet, which has limited means of communication, to travel in a small space. However, as a service provider, the airlines would have to ensure the well-being of all passengers and crews as long as the animals.
That is why they have imposed the rules regarding kennels. Hawaiian Airlines allow carrying only one pet in a carrier. It is to make sure that the pet has enough space within the kennel to move comfortably. However, the airlines would admit two puppies and two kittens in one carrier if they belong to the same breed or litter.
14. What Size Will Pet Carrier Fit Under An Airline Seat Hawaiian Airlines?
Airlines set limitations on pet carriers to easily fit under an airline seat. It is vital as on a full flight, and there might be little to no floor space for you to keep your pet carrier. Holding on to the carrier throughout the flight is also not possible.
The next best option is to keep the carrier under your seat. Unfortunately, Hawaiian Airlines prohibit them from the bulkhead, emergency exit rows, and rows aligned to emergency exit rows.
In the section where they have mentioned the rules, they have stated that the carrier should be within a fixed dimension that is a Length of 16 in.* Width 10 in.* Height 9.5 inches. The kennel should be stored under the seat so that it is in front of the guest, and the total weight should also not exceed more than 25 pounds.
15. Does Hawaiian Airlines Have A Weight Limit For Pets?
The total carriage capacity of an airline is limited. That is why every airline has set a weight limit for baggage. Carrying beyond that would create stress on the engine, leading to severe consequences.
For the same reasons, airlines have also set weight limits for pets. If you carry a dog or cat as checked-in baggage, the weight should not exceed 70 lbs. Again, it ensures the safety and comfort of every passenger, the cabin crew, and the pets.
16. How Can I Confirm The Reservation For My Pet?
Traveling with your furry friends can be thrilling, and you can gain a completely new experience. However, making arrangements for the trip would be a task. Not every service provider will be willing to accommodate you and your animal. Even if they do, they will make you go back and forth. Therefore, you should do proper research before booking a flight or your stay.
Airline providers, at times, may refuse to cooperate with their guests who are carrying their pets at the time of boarding. So, you should confirm your reservation a few days before your journey.
However, Hawaiian Airlines is ideal if you plan a trip with your pet soon. It provides a smooth reservation process if the passenger has all the correct documents. To confirm the reservation, one can check the status on their website or call them at their Reservations Department at 1-800-367-5320.