The TUI Thomson UK Airlines pet policy 2023 only accepts cats and dogs in the cargo hold, pets can’t fly in the cabin or as checked baggage with TUI UK. The cost of flying with your pet in the TUI cargo hold varies depending on the destination, and also the dimensions of your cat or dog’s travel crate. Trained and registered Assistance & Service Dogs can fly free of charge in the TUI passenger cabin, but Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) must fly under the standard pet policy. As Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSVDs) are trained to perform a specific task for their owner, they may fly on TUI flights to and from the USA. Note that TUI is now the brand name for Thomson Airways in the UK. Check out TUI pet travel reviews by other travellers, or leave a TUI pet travel review if you’ve flown your cat or dog with TUI in the cargo hold. Read on for the full TUI pet policy 2023.
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Table of contents
| Dogs & Cats in the Cabin of the Plane | ❌ |
| Dogs & Cats flying as Checked In Baggage | ❌ |
| Pets flying in Cargo Hold | ✅ |
| Assistance Dogs in Cabin | ✅ |
| Psychiatric Service Dogs in Cabin | ✅ |
| Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) in Cabin | ❌ |
Does TUI Allow Cats & Dogs in the Cabin?
Dogs and cats are not accepted by TUI to fly in the cabin. If you’re looking for a pet friendly airline to take your pet in the cabin from the UK, check out our recommendations. Also, have a look at Flying from the UK to the EU and Flying from the EU to the UK.
If you’re new to pet travel, check out 8 IATA Compliant Airline Pet in Cabin Carriers.
Flying Cats and Dogs as Checked Baggage with TUI
As well as no pets being permitted to fly in the TUI passenger cabin, cats and dogs aren’t accepted as checked baggage with TUI. All pets must travel as cargo. Check out the differences between flying your pet as checked baggage or cargo, and remember that the latter option is always more expensive.
TUI Cargo for Pets in the Hold
All pets flying with TUI must be transported as cargo. To arrange for your cat or dog to fly with TUI Cargo, you can email [email protected].
Pets being transported in the TUI cargo hold must travel in IATA approved crates.
IATA Requirements for Pets Flying in Hold
For the safety of your pet during air transport, the airline travel kennel must meet the legal requirements of the Live Animal Regulations (LAR) set by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Therefore, in addition to ensuring that your cat or dog in their travel crate adheres to the maximum weight and dimensions set by TUI Cargo, the minimum inner kennel dimensions defined by the IATA LAR must also be met.
You can calculate the minimum inner space permitted by the IATA LAR, in addition to learning about the required construction, design etc for the pet in hold travel crate.
Should you need a new travel kennel, check out 4 Popular IATA Compliant Pet in Hold Crates.
Cost of Flying a Pet as Cargo with TUI
Flying pets in the hold as cargo is more expensive than transporting cats and dogs as checked baggage. TUI Cargo will provide you with a personalised quotation for your pet, taking into account the route and the size of your cat or dog’s travel crate.
TUI Banned Dog Breeds
If you’re travelling to a country with Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in place for dog breeds classed as dangerous, TUI is unable to transport any of the listed dog breeds to that destination.
TUI Policy for Assistance & Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)
You can travel with your Assistance or Service Dog in the cabin free of charge on most TUI flights. Your assistance or Service Dog must be trained by one of the following organisations to fly with TUI:
- Guide Dogs for the Blind
- Hearing Dogs for the Deaf
- Support Dogs
- Dogs for the Disabled
- Canine Partners
If your Assistance or Service Dog hasn’t been trained by one of these organisations, TUI will require the name of the company to carry out investigations prior to travel.
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not accepted to travel in the TUI cabin free of charge, and are therefore subject to the standard TUI pet policy in 2023. This is due to a ruling in 2021 by the US Department of Transport (USDoT).
Note that on flights to and from the USA, Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSVDs) are permitted to fly in the cabin under the TUI Assistance & Service Dog policy, subject to completion of the US DoT application form.
PSVDs differ from ESAs as they are trained to perform a specific task, or tasks for their owner.
Are Pets Safe on Planes?
If you’re worried about your furry travel companion’s wellbeing when flying, check out our comprehensive post regarding pet safety on planes. While in the USA, a monthly report is provided for airline pet incident rates, there isn’t an equivalent in Europe at the moment. So, there’s no data available for incidents when flying pets in the cargo hold with TUI. Note that even the airline pet incident reports submitted in the USA are only for cats and dogs flying in the hold, and don’t include any in cabin events.
No doubt, at some point your trip will involve a car ride, so have a look at our 12 Essential Pet Car Safety Tips too. Should your cat or dog suffer from motion sickness, we’ve also compared some of the treatments, strategies and medications for pet travel nausea.
It’s important to be aware that you can’t sedate or tranquilize your cat or dog for their flight.
In addition, to protect your pet’s health and wellbeing in a new country, be sure to keep your cat or dog safe from vector-borne diseases. In particular, Heartworm from mosquitoes and Leishmaniasis from sandflies pose a serious pet threat in Southern Europe.
You might also want to check out 10 Pet Friendly Airlines in the EU, Pets in Cabin from the UK and 7 Transatlantic Pet Friendly Airlines.
And don’t forget the all important Essential Pet Travel Accessories!
Prior to booking, always view the TUI pet travel policy on their website for any recent changes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, some airlines are frequently amending their rules for pets on planes.
Have a safe and wonderful trip, and remember to leave a pet travel review for TUI if your cat or dog flies in the hold!
