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Topic: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic  (Read 2246 times)

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Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« on: October 28, 2014, 04:20:21 PM »
For anyone interested, I have just booked my ticket with Virgin Atlantic and booked my 3 pets into cargo for the same flight as I'm taking. It was very simple and painless:

-I did not need to wait until 14 days before flying.
-Virgin Atlantic based the rate on carrier size, not total weight. It came out to be much less than I had budgeted.
-I called Virgin's cargo centre in the UK, gave them the breed of my pets, carrier sizes and date of travel.
-They quoted me a fee to be paid at the time of check-in.
-Later, they sent me a "welcome package" email which includes PDF of all forms needed.
-I do not need to hire a pet courier. VA will handle my pets from airport to airport through their special pet program.

I will update this until my flight with any further information.

As an added bonus, I will receive extra frequent flier miles for each animal.
Married: 27-06-14
Spouse Visa Delivered: 27-10-14
Arrived in Wales: 03-12-14
Little GAtoWales born 26-01-16
FLR(M) approval received: 28-07-17
ILR approval received: 04-05-2020


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2014, 08:39:30 AM »
Wow -- even FF miles!  We usually fly VA so would be interested to hear more on how you rate the experience (in case the cat decides to fly over  ;D)
>^.^<
Married and moved to UK 1974
Returned to US 1995
Irish citizenship June 2009
    Irish passport September 2009 
Retirement July 2012
Leeds in 2013!
ILR (Long Residence) 22 March 2016


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2015, 06:43:05 PM »
I'd like to hear your update. How's everything go?


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2015, 11:48:38 PM »
I'm moving to London next week and plan on booking my dog on the same VA flight as me. So far they've been great on the phone... but I'd also love to hear how your experience went.

Please update? Thanks!


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2015, 09:04:30 AM »
My experience was great, I'm very pleased to say. The vet tech who helped me all the way from the beginning was such a trooper. The day before the flight, some paperwork had to be reprinted and signed by a vet at the last minute, but she got it all done. In hindsight, doing this process on your own is not as bad as it seems when you're faced with it at first. Just allow yourself enough weeks (or months) to get it all done; check, re-check and then check all your paperwork again and don't be afraid to speak up if your vet is doing something incorrectly (not signing in blue ink, not dating paperwork dd-mm-yyyy, etc) as it will save you some hassle. Also, I emailed all my documents ahead of time (plus pictures of the carriers) to Virgin Cargo and HARC. They advised me of any changes that needed to be made and I would highly advise anyone else to do this as well.

On the Atlanta side, I had to spend about an hour and 10 minutes having all the paperwork processed at Virgin cargo. They measured the animals and carriers (so glad I went a size larger for the 2 dogs), made sure everything was signed and dated correctly, had me take all collars off the pets (but I could leave toys in the carrier) and once I paid, I kissed them goodbye. At the gate, I was called to the counter and they told me my pets were safely on board.

At LHR, my husband and in-laws picked me up in a van and we drove about 35 minutes to the Animal Reception Centre (it is not close to the arrivals terminal, so you must have transportation). You are told it can take 4 hours to get your pets, but after only 1 hr 45 minutes, they were released to me once we paid the fee. The dogs were on their leashes and looked happy. The workers had let them out for the bathroom and fed them the food I taped to the carriers. Kitty had fresh bedding (although it was shredded paper) and only looked slightly traumatised by the whole thing.
HARC asked if I wanted to leave the pet carriers, but since we had a big van, we packed them in and drove home to Wales.

Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. I felt that Virgin handled me and my animals with care from beginning to end.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2015, 09:07:26 AM by GAtoWales »
Married: 27-06-14
Spouse Visa Delivered: 27-10-14
Arrived in Wales: 03-12-14
Little GAtoWales born 26-01-16
FLR(M) approval received: 28-07-17
ILR approval received: 04-05-2020


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2015, 06:47:45 AM »
My dog has his rabies shot, microchip and is dewormed.  I have the paperwork from the vet however, I will NOT be able to have it endorsed by the APHIS in time for my flight this coming Monday.  Will I stay be able to travel with him and just have him quarantined until he clears?  Please advise.

Many thanks!


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2015, 03:14:44 AM »
I don't think so.... I don't think the airline will even take your dog without having the USDA vet sign off on all the paperwork? You might want to check with Virgin and call/email the UK Pet Reception Centre at whatever airport you plan to arrive in.


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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2015, 04:18:25 AM »
My experience was great, I'm very pleased to say. The vet tech who helped me all the way from the beginning was such a trooper.

Thanks for all the info and update!

I am considering taking my cat with me to England. She is 16-years old.
I have my reservations, but my vet says she is a very healthy senior citizen kitty.
I'm not 100% convinced though. My worst fear is her not making the journey or getting really ill along the way and never recovering.

But also I'm her best friend and leaving her with my parents when I move breaks my heart. I know she won't last long without me to care for her. (from past experience) Not to mention I'll be heartbroken myself, after raising each other our whole lives.

Has anyone else traveled with senior animals?  :\\\'(




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Re: Easy pet travel booking with Virgin Atlantic
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2015, 07:23:41 AM »
@KristinNeil,

2 of my 3 animals are seniors. Kitty is 14 and one of my dogs is 15. Both came through the flight unscathed. If I thought either of them wouldn't make it, I would have left them in the care of my parents. I know it's a tough decision to make.  :)
Married: 27-06-14
Spouse Visa Delivered: 27-10-14
Arrived in Wales: 03-12-14
Little GAtoWales born 26-01-16
FLR(M) approval received: 28-07-17
ILR approval received: 04-05-2020


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