Cat question: Airlines for import to the UK? Help Please!

I priced British Airways today for flying my two cats from Atlanta to London when we move, and they quoted me $1353.28, if they'll both fit into the smallest containers I have found. 

 :oOUCH!

Has anyone else found a better deal?  Are there better deals?  Is that a good price?

That's more than I was hoping to pay, but if that's what it takes, that's what it takes.  Also we'd have to fly with them, which limits my bargain-hunting for our tickets rather severely...

Please someone give me some good news!!!

1 dog on BA from SFO to Heathrow cost me $2000.

Back in 2003 it cost me $250 per cat to fly from Minneapolis to Gatwick on Northwest.  That was it. No other fees involved.

Back in 2003 it cost me $250 per cat to fly from Minneapolis to Gatwick on Northwest.  That was it. No other fees involved.

That's much more like I was hoping to hear!

*OPTIMISM AND WILL TO LIVE RETURNING*

lol...

You're up in the mountains, right?  Whereabouts?  I'm in Athens, and though I briefly considered flying my two on a domestic flight to NYC or DC or Chicago and using another airline, ultimately I decided that for sanity's sake - both the kittens' and my own! - we'd be best off flying from Atlanta.  It's going to be a long enough trip - two hours to Atlanta, then cargo check-in four hours before the flight, then an eight-hour flight, then up to 4-5 hours to clear once we land at Gatwick, then a 5-6 hour drive up to Middlesbrough - that I really didn't want to add any more stress to the whole ordeal, even if I did get a quote for $1600 when I spoke to the guy at BA world cargo!  Unfortunately for us, the only approved route out of Atlanta is with BA, and they seem to be the most expensive by far - but when you take into account the cost of another leg - my ticket, the cats' tickets, and the excess baggage fees - it really doesn't add up to be any cheaper.   I'm a bit miffed about the fact that flying two cats costs double what one would cost, especially since it's just as easy to do most of the paperwork/handling/etc. for two from one owner as one, but whatever....

You're up in the mountains, right?  Whereabouts?  I'm in Athens, and though I briefly considered flying my two on a domestic flight to NYC or DC or Chicago and using another airline, ultimately I decided that for sanity's sake - both the kittens' and my own! - we'd be best off flying from Atlanta.  It's going to be a long enough trip - two hours to Atlanta, then cargo check-in four hours before the flight, then an eight-hour flight, then up to 4-5 hours to clear once we land at Gatwick, then a 5-6 hour drive up to Middlesbrough - that I really didn't want to add any more stress to the whole ordeal, even if I did get a quote for $1600 when I spoke to the guy at BA world cargo!  Unfortunately for us, the only approved route out of Atlanta is with BA, and they seem to be the most expensive by far - but when you take into account the cost of another leg - my ticket, the cats' tickets, and the excess baggage fees - it really doesn't add up to be any cheaper.   I'm a bit miffed about the fact that flying two cats costs double what one would cost, especially since it's just as easy to do most of the paperwork/handling/etc. for two from one owner as one, but whatever....

I'm in Dawsonville, and the timeline is similar...about an hour and a half to the airport, then four hours before the flight, then four hours after the darned flight on the other end...*shudder* and i'd be trying to do all of this with a two-year-old!  The very thought gives me the twitches!

Is it true that the only way they can go is via BA?  I called Northwest today, thinking I'd just ask because it didn't say anything about it on their website (like it did on the other websites I checked out of desperation) and they told me they could infact ship to the UK, and quoted me a price $500 cheaper than BA to boot!  But I thought I saw on one of those websites that the only PETS approved route out of Atlanta was through BA...I -think- Northwest was talking about routing them through Minneapolis or one other place, but then if I wanted to travel with them I'd have to do that, too, and an extra layover with a toddler with a toddler...*buries head in pillow and screams*

I'm confuuuuused!!!!  And my wallet hurts just thinking about spending more on the kitties' tickets than I'm hoping to spend on tickets for all three humans making the trip!!!

Is it true that the only way they can go is via BA?  I called Northwest today, thinking I'd just ask because it didn't say anything about it on their website (like it did on the other websites I checked out of desperation) and they told me they could infact ship to the UK, and quoted me a price $500 cheaper than BA to boot!  But I thought I saw on one of those websites that the only PETS approved route out of Atlanta was through BA...I -think- Northwest was talking about routing them through Minneapolis or one other place, but then if I wanted to travel with them I'd have to do that, too, and an extra layover with a toddler with a toddler...*buries head in pillow and screams*

I'm confuuuuused!!!!  And my wallet hurts just thinking about spending more on the kitties' tickets than I'm hoping to spend on tickets for all three humans making the trip!!!

Yeah, unfortunately you and I are right - BA is the only PETS-approved carrier for flights out of Atlanta, AND your pets must be accompanied - so if something goes wrong and they can't fly on the day they're supposed to for whatever reason, they can't just follow you over the next day or whatever (unless you have someone you know buy a ticket and claim responsibility for them, but that'd probably just make an already-sticky situation worse).   I can't believe that we'll be paying around $650, tops, for my flight, but $800 each for Toby and Xander!  As my mother said, for that kind of money, they should each get a seat!

On the other hand, I priced a couple of animal transport companies, just to see what they'd charge in comparison to handling it all myself (because of everything I'm worried about re: this move, the part that freaks me out the most is the bit with the cats), and I got quotes ranging from $3750 to $4400.  So I've begun thinking of the whole BA thing as sort of a bargain....

(...okay, not really. )

Yeah, it does seem if I remember correctly that flying Northwest they have to fly out of Minneapolis. I do know a whole bunch of other approved routes have since opened up with other airlines as well.  I chose to drive the 8 hours to Minneapolis, stay in a hotel overnight, and then fly out of Minneapolis.  In the end, it cost way less than the prices being quoted here.  But sometimes it might just be worth paying the extra couple hundred dollars to make the trip a bit more easier since moving to a new country is kind a stressful initially!  It sounds like you might not have many options if you are flying out of Atlanta.  Are you willing to drive anywhere so that would give you the option of trying to fly out of other airports?

Ach! You guys are scaring me. I just got stuck with another kitten, who will just be old enough to make it through his vaccines when the time comes.

When I checked this out a few months ago, though, I seem to recall it was a few hundred dollars from Boston to Gatwick, and I think the approved carrier was Virgin.

There's really no other major airports within a day or so's drive of here, and any other possibilities might be enough gas money to be prohibitive...

Does anyone else have any stories or price estimates from other cities or on other carriers?

What about any of the D.C. Airports?  it's a 10 hour drive, I know, but gas money would be less than it would cost to fly you and your cats there, and if the cost out of DC is significantly lower then it might be worth it.

What about any of the D.C. Airports?  it's a 10 hour drive, I know, but gas money would be less than it would cost to fly you and your cats there, and if the cost out of DC is significantly lower then it might be worth it.

I hadn't even thought of D.C...I might indeed be willing to drive ten hours if it means saving hundreds of dollars on shipping.  The logistics would be screwy, as far as driving up there, driving back...or renting a car to be dropped off at the airport and then just flying myself out of D.C...and then there's the toddler issue to consider...

*wanders off mutterring and brainstorming*

I'm planning on flying from Newark, NJ to Bristol with my two cats in December on Continental. I looked into Virgin, they fly from Dulles to Heathrow, but logistically the other flight will be a lot easier. Plus, they can fly unattended on that flight, so if there are any problems, I can still leave and they can be on the next flight. Just a word of caution, you talked about getting the smallest carrier they could fit in. Be very careful! You'll read a lot of postings on here of people who were denied at the airport because their crate was too small and the airline wouldn't let them use it. Then you're left frantically running out to get a larger crate. Someone posted this site previously: http://www.futurepets.com/Vari-Kennels.htm

Because my cats are fattys, they're getting the #200!!! 

I hadn't even thought of D.C...I might indeed be willing to drive ten hours if it means saving hundreds of dollars on shipping.  The logistics would be screwy, as far as driving up there, driving back...or renting a car to be dropped off at the airport and then just flying myself out of D.C...and then there's the toddler issue to consider...

*wanders off mutterring and brainstorming*

Not sure about the toddler part as I didn't have to deal with that but what I did was rent a car one way, drive up the night before, stayed in a Comfort Inn that allowed pets, got up the next morning and drove to the cargo area where the cats had to be dropped off.  Then drove the car to the rental drop off at the airport and checked myself onto my flight. That was pretty simple.  I wouldn't like to say how hard or easy it would be with a toddler as I really don't have that much experience.

As for the kennel/ carrier issue, OnMyWay is correct, do be careful about the one you get.  When I dropped my cats off they were well pleased that I had a nice roomy Pet Taxi for them.  The people in front of me were trying to fly 4 puppies in one carrier and they wouldn't let them do that. They had a big fiasco I am glad I didn't have to deal with.  It's always better to be safe than sorry.  My Pet Taxi's were regulation and I got them at our local Farm and Fleet for about $35 each. I am sure you have read all about how much room they are supposed to have if standing up in the kennel, etc.

Don't worry to much. It always seems to be such a complicated thing to do but in the end it usually works out!

hi my cats flew on Continental Airlines as well. dh thinks they flew out of NEWERK, N.J. but I think they flew out of JFK Airport. we didnt have to be on the plane with them either. 1 of my cats is a fatty, he is a big boy. both of my cats had the #200 as well they each had there own carrier. they had plenty of room to do whatever they need to do. now that my cats are here in England we use the carriers whenever they need to go to the vet.