Hidden fees on the UK side?

I called BA yesterday for a quote for my dog's travel to the UK and was given a quote followed by the words "that covers all fees on this side, anyway"... I asked if I should expect any additional fees on the "other" side, and he said he didnt know.   Was this just a CYA statement or are there some other fees when picking up your animal at the airport in the UK??

I called BA yesterday for a quote for my dog's travel to the UK and was given a quote followed by the words "that covers all fees on this side, anyway"... I asked if I should expect any additional fees on the "other" side, and he said he didnt know.   Was this just a CYA statement or are there some other fees when picking up your animal at the airport in the UK??

We flew Virgin into Heathrow and there was a 245 charge at the Animal Reception Centre as of November 2008.  It was paid directly to the airline representative who met us at the ARC when picking up our cats.

I'd gotten a quote from BA as well, and they said their quote was inclusive of UK fees.  Of course, that was 6 months ago now.

I'd call back and see if you can get more information. 

Yes, I paid £245 on the UK side at the ARC in November, too.

The good thing -- you can now pay by credit card. Until recently, you couldn't. I was scrambling to figure out how I'd get that much cash between touching down and reaching my cat.

We're flying Continental in July, and they told me that the fee at Heathrow would be $320 for the first animal, and $20 for each additional animal (as long as we were coming in during normal times, etc.). 

I flew two cats Newark-Manchester on Continental in October, and when I paid, I think I paid all the fees - the Continental cargo charge and the "Pets on Jets" animal folks on the UK side who took care of the animals before I picked them up - when I dropped them off in the US.

Wow things must have changed, as all this wasn't happening last July. Flew Continental and paid everything US-side; asked repeateadly if there would be more to pay on the UK end as I didn't want any surprises -- everyone kept saying no, and sure enough nothing to pay at Gatwick when I picked up my cat. Be warned that was July 2008, so it looks like things have changed -- wasn't like this just a year ago, at least on Continental to Gatwick ARC.

I think it all depends on which airport you're flying into - if it's Heathrow you have to pay at the UK side, whereas if you fly into Gatwick, the fee is included in $ along with the other payments you have to make in the US. I don't know about Manchester.

Ahh ok... I'll tell DH to have some money ready 

Continental quoted me $1,007 to fly a cat form Newark to Heathrow.  That included $300-something for UK/Heathrow fee. The woman I spoke with told me that Heathrow now required people to pay the fee up front when I make the reservation. Maybe that's only a rule with Continental though? 

That's what Continental told me too--that I would have to pay the fee up front in Houston, but it was a fee for the Heathrow airport and that no other fees would be payable up front.  I looked into flying into Manchester with Continental, and fees there would have been much less.  I'm assuming that different airlines have different arrangements with the UK side handlers, and thus different methods of payment.

We flew from Dallas, TX to Heathrow with BA. Paid all our fees at BA Cargo in Dallas and no further fees were required. At Heathrow, we just picked up our 5 kitties and the paperwork.