Colombian airline Avianca has been forced to alter its policy regarding flying with large animals after passengers on a six-hour flight pretended that more than two dozen dogs were emotional support pets.

Daily Mail reported that the change comes after fuming customers complained that 25 pedigreed pets flew in the cabin from a São Paulo to Bogota flight on December 11.

Most of the large pets traveled on budget airline Avianca with their owners to Bogota, where they had competed in the FCI World Dog Championships in early December.

Avianca's recently changed pet policy noted that service dogs and emotional support animals will be allowed on flights if they can fit in a carrier bag that can be placed underneath a seat and weigh less than 22 lbs.

Avianca said it will require all dogs to remain inside their carrier bags. In a statement, the Colombian airline noted that emotional dogs must fly in the "cargo hold" if they do not meet the requirements.

A maximum of six emotional dogs will be allowed to travel on each flight. The change of policy will be implemented on February 1.

Before departure, passengers must also bring a health inspection certificate and find out about local requirements for their pets.

Many Avianca passengers, who do not want their pets to be separated from them during a flight, were dismayed by the new policy. Customers opposed having their dogs put in a pet cage in the cargo area.

Avianca's website does not indicate if there is a limit on dogs allowed in the cabin. However, each dog in the cabin should weigh not more than 22 pounds.

Dogs and cats are the only animals allowed on flights and must be four months old. Service dogs are permitted, and passengers accompanied by emotional support dogs must provide a medical certificate.

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Colombian Airline Avianca New Flight Routes

Avianca has launched several new international routes in the last few months. The airline now started selling tickets for its three new services connecting Cartagena and Medellin with Ecuador.

Earlier this month, it also launched seven new routes, including five to the United States. Four more international routes will be launched in March 2023, with two connecting Colombia and Brazil.

One will be with the United States and one with Honduras. Manuel Ambriz, Avianca's Chief Commercial Officer, said the airline is proud to give travelers several connectivity options in Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, and the United States.

Ambriz added that they inaugurated 21 new connections this year and will open 20 more next year.

The previous week, Avianca Ecuador resumed flights between Guayaquil and Lima after the services on the said routes had been suspended since last August.

Flying With Pets

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises passengers to take their pets first to their veterinarians. From there, experts can decide whether your pet is healthy enough to travel and meets the requirements of your destination.

Some of the requirements may include blood tests, vaccinations, microchips for identification, permits, and health certificates.

Some U.S. carriers do not allow pets to be shipped between May and September, as these are the hottest months for animals to travel in the Northern Hemisphere.

Your pets may also be stressed during the travel, and it would be advisable to get them used to their carriers before the flight and choose to buy flights with fewer connections or layovers.

You can also check in as late as possible to reduce stress if your pet is allowed in the cabin.

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This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

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