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Guide/Assistance Dogs
What is a guide/assistance dog?
A guide/assistance dog is a dog that has been trained to help people with physical disabilities to gain more personal independence. These include guide, hearing, and service dogs, and they are permitted to fly with their owner in the aircraft cabin. Any other dogs not meeting this definition must travel as a pet.
Please note that a guide/assistance dog can only fly on a Cathay Pacific flight if the dog has been accredited by either Assistance Dogs International, Link opens in a new window operated by external parties and may not conform to the same accessibility policies as Cathay Pacific or Assistance Dogs Europe, Link opens in a new window operated by external parties and may not conform to the same accessibility policies as Cathay Pacific . Additionally, we also accept guide dogs that have been accredited by the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), Link opens in a new window operated by external parties and may not conform to the same accessibility policies as Cathay Pacific .
If you plan to travel with a service dog on a flight segment scheduled to take 8 hours or more, please contact our local reservations office or your travel agent at least 48 hours in advance of your flight.
A step-by-step guide to flying with your guide/assistance dog
Before your flight
- First, ensure your guide/assistance dog is fully accredited* and meets all the regulations specified by the destination you want to travel to, which vary from country to country.
If you’re flying into or transiting via Hong Kong with your dog, please apply for a Special Permit from the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Link opens in a new window operated by external parties and may not conform to the same accessibility policies as Cathay Pacific before your journey. As well as the permit, the AFCD can provide written approval for your guide/assistance dog to travel in the cabin with you. For more details, contact our Customer Care who can help you through the process. - Contact our local reservations office as far in advance of your travel date as possible to let us know you’d like to bring your guide/assistance dog on board*. We’ll start making the necessary arrangements.
Your day of travel
- Bring original copies of all documentation that allows your guide/assistance dog to travel with you to the airport. You’ll need to present the relevant documents when you check in and when you arrive at your destination.
- During the flight itself, if you have a larger dog, it should sit at your feet, while a smaller dog can sit on your lap. It should be properly leashed or harnessed throughout, and you should be responsible for the health and sanitation of the flight in case your dog needs to relieve itself.
* Cathay Pacific Airways Limited has the discretion whether to accept your animal on board, subject to any laws or regulations of the jurisdiction of the place of departure, arrival, and layover (where applicable).
