Cold Weather Pet Move

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the helpful posts! This forum is really useful.

I tried to search for this topic, but I didn't see the exact answer.  Has anyone moved in December/January with pets?  Did anyone face restrictions due to cold weather? I've heard rumors of this, but I am curious about people's experiences.

We are planning to move the last week of 2012 with a dog and cat.  We would love to fly with Air Canada because our air miles are largely with them (and we all want to accrue tons of miles so we can earn free tickets home eventually, no?), but I understand that may exacerbate the cold weather situation, if there is one.  My husband and I had planned to hire a relocation service because the process seems so scary.  I'm really excited that so many people seem to have handled their pet moves themselves and have had really good experiences!

Welcome to the forum.  (:

I don't really have an exact answer to your question, but here's my 2 cents (pence?) - for what it's worth.

I'm moving next month with two cats, and have hired a relocation service to take care of the bulk of the work.  They have not informed me of any restrictions or precautionary measures which need to be taken due to the lower temperatures, and seem to know what they're talking about.  Granted, Texas is not so cold during November (usually I think they're worried about it being too HOT while the plane is on the ground), but I know England can be pretty chilly.  I've not yet been told I can't move my pets in November, and all seems to be going well.

Hope that helped at least a little bit, and that maybe someone else will come along with some more specific information!  (:

Hello Dena

 You don't mention where you are flying from or to, but I assume you have already checked that there is an PETS approved route between the two.

There certainly are cold weather restrictions on certain routes (and on certain specific airplanes). Here is the info (scroll down a bit) on Air Canada's winter restrictions. http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/pets-in-baggage.html

I flew with my dog in February this year, so I was worried about the cold weather restrictions, too. Delta (who we flew with) told me that as long as the temperatures in the departure city and the arrival city (plus any stops along the way) were both above 10 degrees Fahrenheit, then all would be well. Fortunately, it was, so I didn't have to worry.

Of course, I don't know if this applies across the board. I don't have any clue how Delta's cargo holds compare to other airlines', but that was our experience.

For what it's worth, if you have to look at other options (not sure if Air Canada is an approve carrier on an approved route), I just want to let you know that our experience with Delta was a fantastic and very easy one, so if they're an option, it would be worth considering.

Thanks, everyone!  We are booking a relocation service.  We've had so many headaches with the relocation so far that we just need this bit to function well, you know?  We are hoping to travel on Air Canada, but the pets may travel on a separate plane from us, using an approved carrier/route.  (We are travelling Cleveland-Toronto-London, hence the cold weather concerns.)