S7 Airlines Pet Policies

Pets (dogs, cats) and birds may be carried on S7 flights subject to prior approval by the airline, so if you are planning to carry a pet, please inform the agent upon booking your flight or before buying your ticket in a ticket office at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure. S7 permits to carry only pets – cats, dogs and birds. Any other animals may not be accepted as hand luggage or checked baggage and may be carried as cargo only.

To carry a pet / bird passengers shall be carried in in-cabin kennels (of hard plastic or wood) or metal cages with air access provided which size should be enough for the animal to stand up and turn around. The kennel (cage) is to be locked, its bottom covered with absorbing (waterproof) material. Bird caged are to be covered with dense stop light cloth [AMZ asins='B00QHC01C2,B00AAPGA2W,B000633ZOY,B0B77BRG75']

One kennel (cage) may hold up to two adult animals, up to 14 kg each if they are compatible. Heavier animals are to be carried separately
One container (cage) may hold up to three animals of one crop not older than 6 months.

Animals and birds are carried by S7 in the baggage hold.

Animals may be carried in cabin if their weight with the kennel (cage) is 8 kg max and the cage dimension sum is equal or under 115 centimeters.

Only two animals of compatible breeds may be carried in cabin on one flight, so we recommend to make advance arrangements.

The baggage allowance does not apply to animals/birds. Their transportation is paid under the fare for excess baggage in accordance with the animal/bird weight with the kennel (cage), irrespective of other baggage items checked in by the passenger. If an animal travels in cabin the passenger responsible is seated in the back of the economy class cabin. For security purposes the animal should stay inside the kennel (cage) at all times during the flight with the kennel (cage) locked.

Seeing-eye dogs with blind passengers are admitted into the cabin with muzzles and leashes only provided that a training certificate is available. Seeing-eye dogs are carried free with no baggage allowance applied. They are placed on the passenger cabin back seats and tied to the owner seat next to his or her feet. In order to complete all arrangements before the flight we recommend to arrive early, at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure.

Animal owners shall pass vet control before the check in at the Vet Control Service of the departure airport. To carry a pet domestically (inside Russia or the CIS) passengers are to provide a vet passport and certificate for their pets. After the documents and pet condition are examined the vet certificate is stamped and a boarding pass is issued for the pet to be presented upon check-in. To carry a pet on an international flight (outside CIS) the vet certificate is exchanged to an international vet certificate effective for 1 to 3 days. A certificate on no breeding value of the pet is to be produced at the Russian customs as well. A rabies vaccination made between one year and one month before the flight date is required for airline transportation of a pet.

We recommend passengers to make sure that all connection, destination and stop-over requirements on pet transportation onboard aircraft are met.

For more details on requirements and document arrangements for animal transportation contact the vet control service at the departure airport.
Vet Control Service in Domodedovo airport, Moscow, tel.: (495) 967-83-96 Vet Control Service in Tolmachevo, Novosibirsk, tel.: (383) 216-98-10, (383) 216-98-77.

Animals and birds are accepted only if the passenger assumes full responsibility for them.

Passengers are to comply with all Airline requirements to transportation of animals and birds and indemnify the Airline against all losses and additional costs associated with damage and injuries by the animal (bird) to the aircraft, crew members, other passengers and their property


Recommendations
Before the flight
No tranquilizers are recommended for pets before the flight.
Feed the pet with light food about two hours before the departure.
Take the pet for a walk immediately before the flight.

For flat-nosed dogs such as boxers, bulldogs, Pekingese dogs and pugs rarified air is more harmful, so make sure that the kennel front is fully opened for ventilation. It is important for such animals to avoid breathing problems.

Puppies and kittens under 8 weeks old may not be transported due to dehydration danger during the flight. A vet certificate is recommended for kittens under 12 weeks, especially small-sized ones, that confirms that the animal may be carried by air, as dehydration is especially dangerous for them.

Suckled puppies and kittens may be carried together. Their number depends on the size and force of each animal. It should be avoided to hold a week animal in one kennel with a stronger animal that can subdue the first one.

Some countries have a rule to carry cats or dogs separately except for one crop over 8 months old with their mother.

Habitual toys or things inside the kennel will help the pet to relax and get over the flight. It is recommended to have the pet name tag or label outside the kennel.


Feeding Advice (only for emergencies)
As a rule, animals do not need any additional feeding within 12 hours before the departure. Water is to be provided if the flight lasts over 12 hours. Make sure it does not leak from the kennel. If feeding is required during an unexpected delay, the animal should not overeat.


Requirements to Animal Kennels/Cages
These requirements comply with IATA Live Animals Regulations.
Figures to this document are intended as examples only. Kennels designed as specified herein but look different are deemed to comply with IATA standards.


The requirements apply to the following live animals
Cats (domestic) Dogs (domestic)

Materials
Glass fiber, metal, hard (inflexible) plastic, welded metal gauze, hard wood or plywood.

Design
Kennels fully made of metal gauze or wire are not suitable for air transportation. Kennels of hard plastic are fit to carry most dog breeds. If they have wheels, these shall be removed and immobilized. Some hard plastic kennels are inappropriate to carry big and very aggressive dogs. Kennels for such animals are to be made of hard wood, metal, plywood or similar materials, with two locks, one on each door side.

Size
The kennel size is to be sufficient for each animal held inside to have enough space, stand up, turn around freely, stand, sit and lie in its natural position.

Frame
Wooden kennels may have a frame of wooden bricks, 2.5 x 7.5 cm max, connected with bolts or screws to which the side walls are fixed.

Walls
For plastic kennels all components are to be available and properly installed. External walls of wooden kennels shall be made of plywood at least 12 mm (1.2 inch) thick or equivalent. Side walls are to be hard but with good ventilation as specified herein. Internal surfaces shall be smooth, with protrusions which the animal could bite or scratch and to damage the kennel. One wall is to be for ventilation only. It should be covered with a grid, welded wire or smooth metal gauze properly fixed to the container so that the animal could not remove or force it out.

Handles
The kennel is to have handles located in the middle of each long wall along this wall.

Bottom
The bottom is to be hard and waterproof.

Top (roof)
The top is to be hard, however ventilation openings are allowed on its surface if they do not degrade its integrity and reliability.

Door
One of the kennel walls is to be a door. It can be slid or hinged. Larger doors are to have two or three locks or other proper fixtures. The door is to be made of plastic, welded or cast metal, its size and thickness sufficient to prevent the animal from bending or damaging the door. The grid openings should stop the animal from protruding its nose or feet to avoid injury to the animal and damage to the kennel. Doors may be made of plastic of locks and fixtures are made of metal which thickness is sufficient. For hard plastic kennels door security lugs are to go all the way of the door length, at least 1.6 centimeters from the kennel upper and lower door sections (horizontal part). The Airline is to make sure that all parts and fixtures are properly installed and in good working condition.

Ventilation
The kennel is ventilated with the open wall (which may be the door) and ventilation openings of at least 2.5 centimeters in the top cover, opposite the door, and the other two kennel side openings, 10 centimeters apart (between opening axes). If the kennel is especially designed for larger dogs the open wall is to be covered with fine metal grating or a doubled welded gauze with layers 1 centimeter apart. The general ventilation area shall be at least 16% of the total area of the four walls. Additional openings are admissible on the top cover and side walls or openings covered with a broad wire gauze for better ventilation. All openings should prevent the animal from protruding its nose or feet to avoid its injury or damage to the kennel. If cats or smaller dogs are carried, a need to cover the openings with a wire gauze may arise. There should be no protruding parts which the animal could bite or scratch to avoid damage to the kennel. [AMZ asins='B00QHC01C2,B00AAPGA2W,B000633ZOY,B0B77BRG75']