For most pet owners, the worry about flying a cat or dog in cargo comes down to not knowing what really happens once they’re checked in and in the hold. Here are the six myths we hear most often, along with what’s actually true, so you can make a decision based on how the process really works.
Key Takeaways
- The aircraft hold is fully pressurised, ventilated and temperature-controlled, typically sitting at around 18 to 21°C, similar to a comfortable room.
- Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds have unique respiratory needs, so they are a specialist case that needs an individual assessment, including the right crate size and travel window.
- Working with a pet travel specialist means flight scheduling, airline coordination and safety checks are managed on your behalf, with your pet move handled by the team that specialises in your type of relocation.
Myth 1: The cargo hold is dark, freezing and airless
This is the most common misconception. The hold is not a frightening, pitch-black, airless space where bags are tossed around. Under strict International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animals Regulations, the area used to carry live animals is engineered to keep them safe.
Once the doors are secured, your pet is in an environment with the same atmospheric pressure and active air ventilation as the passenger cabin. The temperature is actively regulated, typically sitting at around 18 to 21°C, similar to a comfortable room. The lighting is deliberately dimmed, which helps pets settle and rest, much like a den.
Far from being surrounded by loose luggage, pet travel crates are securely strapped into designated, ventilated sections of the hold to prevent any movement during takeoff, flight or landing.
Myth 2: Pets are treated like standard luggage during loading
Airlines do not treat pets like suitcases. The handover is a deliberate, managed process from the start. For most domestic flights, you’ll take your pet to the airport and check them in directly with the airline yourself, which needs to happen strictly two hours before departure. Where you’ve arranged for us to care for your pet beforehand, whether that’s boarding, collection from your home or a comfort stop, our team brings them across from the Departure Pets Lounge and handles the check-in on your behalf.
Once your pet is checked in, they are handled under live animal welfare protocols, which cover things like keeping them in sheltered areas, monitoring conditions, water access and timely loading and collection.
Your dog is kept in a calm, indoor holding area until the final, airline-approved loading window. When it is time to board, they are transferred to the aircraft and loaded last, so they spend the absolute minimum amount of time on the tarmac. On arrival, they are unloaded first and brought directly to the collection point.
Curious about exactly what happens from the moment you hand over your dog to the moment they land? Read our full guide: Is Pet Travel Safe? Everything You Need to Know.
Myth 3: Once my dog is handed over, I will have no idea what is happening during transit
This depends on the pet travel company you’ve chosen. Some keep contact to a minimum, whereas at Departure Pets we like to keep you informed at the relevant points in your pet’s journey. Pet Travel Updates are available when your pet’s journey includes collection, delivery, or a comfort stop at one of our Departure Pets Lounges in Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane.
If you’ve organised these services, we’ll keep you updated at the relevant points, sent straight to your inbox. These updates are tailored to your pet’s personalised travel itinerary, and your dedicated Pet Travel Consultant will explain exactly which updates you can expect based on the services you’ve chosen.
For a domestic pet relocation, that can include:
- ETA of collection from your home, where collection is part of your booking
- Confirmation once your pet is safely checked in with the airline
- Updates from a comfort stop, including how your pet was during their break
- Arrival confirmation once they have landed and reached the collection point, where delivery is included
- ETA of delivery to your home or boarding facility
Once your pet is checked in, that’s a quiet window. There are no live in-transit updates while they are in the air, as the crate is secured and your pet is in the airline’s care under live animal welfare protocols.
Myth 4: Tarmac wait times are completely unmanaged
As we discuss in our guide on cold weather pet travel in Australia, the primary exposure point for any pet is the airport tarmac. This is the brief window where your pet is moved from the cargo freight terminal to the plane, and then unloaded again on arrival.
For domestic flights within Australia, airlines apply strict weather rules, and cold and heat are handled as separate considerations. If conditions are not suitable, the pet does not fly and is kept in a sheltered, climate-controlled area rather than left waiting on the tarmac.
The day itself is built around keeping these transition windows as short as possible. Once your pet is checked in, they wait in the airline’s cargo facility, out of the weather, and are loaded last onto the aircraft and unloaded first on arrival, so their time on the tarmac is kept to a minimum.
The airline’s handling of your pet during the check-in process and loading follows the same live animal protocols designed to keep tarmac exposure brief.
Myth 5: Sedating your dog is the best way to keep them calm
Sedation is a firm no, and it’s actually one of the biggest safety risks you can introduce. Both the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) advise that dogs and cats should not be sedated for air transport. Sedatives do far more than just calm your pet. They reduce heart rate, body temperature and respiration. Under sedation, your dog cannot physically adjust to the changes in altitude and pressure during the flight, and cannot brace themselves during takeoff and landing, which puts them at real risk of injury.
Because of this, Departure Pets does not transport pets under sedation. Airlines also reserve the right to refuse acceptance of any animal they believe has been affected by sedative medication.
Exception: If sedation is medically necessary for the welfare or survival of your pet, we may consider transport provided a veterinarian has prescribed the medication and supporting veterinary documentation is supplied. Please note that even with veterinary approval, acceptance is not guaranteed. The final decision rests with the airline staff at the time of check-in, and your pet may still be refused for travel if they believe sedation poses a safety risk to your pet upon observation at check-in.
If you’re worried about how your dog will cope with travel anxiety, there are safer ways to help:
- Crate training, if you have your own crate, building a positive association with it well before travel day makes a big difference
- Familiar scents, sending an old thin blanket, fleece lining or towel that smells like you to line the bottom of the crate can be reassuring for your pet (beds, toys, harnesses, pet clothes and other loose items are not permitted).
- Stay calm yourself, pets pick up on their owner’s emotional state. Research has shown that stress and anxiety can be contagious between owners and their pets, so the more relaxed you are in the lead-up, the more settled your pet will be
- Calming products, Departure Pets recommends Pet Relief’s Comfort and Calm blend, an Australian-made, 100% natural formula developed to support pets with travel anxiety, separation anxiety and general stress
- Speak to your vet, for pets with clinical anxiety, a conversation with your vet is always the best starting point for tailored advice
Learn more in our article on Managing Pet Travel Anxiety – Tips for a Calmer Journey.
Myth 6: Flat-faced dogs face the exact same risk level as other breeds
A standard-snouted dog handles flying differently to a brachycephalic (flat-faced) breed. Because flat-faced dogs and cats have shortened, compromised airways, they cope far less easily with temperature extremes and stress, which makes them a specialist case in any conditions.
Brachycephalic breeds commonly affected include (but are not limited to):
- Dogs: French Bulldogs, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Bulldogs, etc.
- Cats: Persians, Exotic Shorthairs, Himalayans, etc.
For brachycephalic breeds, travel is arranged around airline-specific requirements rather than a single rule. For example, Virgin Australia generally requires brachycephalic breeds to fly before 9am or after 6pm during the warmer months, to avoid the heat of the day, while Qantas may apply embargoes to specific travel days based on the maximum forecast temperature for that day.
The travel crate is part of that specialist approach. Flat-faced breeds usually need a crate one size larger than their measurements alone would suggest, so there is extra room for airflow and ventilation. Exact requirements vary by airline, and some carriers apply additional restrictions for snub-nosed breeds, so your Departure Pets consultant will confirm the right crate, route and travel window for your pet before anything is arranged.
What if my pet’s journey doesn’t go exactly to plan?
What happens if my pet’s flight is cancelled?
Flight cancellations can occasionally occur due to weather, operational issues, aircraft changes, or other circumstances outside the airline’s control.
If your pet’s flight is cancelled, the airline will notify Departure Pets, and our team will immediately begin coordinating the next available travel option. Our priority is always your pet’s welfare while minimising any disruption to their journey.
Depending on the circumstances, your pet may:
- Be rebooked onto the next available suitable flight.
- Be transferred to a Departure Pets Departure Lounge or one of our trusted agent facilities if the disruption extends your pet’s time in the airline’s care by more than three hours. This allows your pet to be taken out of the airline environment, given the opportunity to stretch, toilet (where appropriate), have fresh water, and rest comfortably while waiting for their rescheduled flight.
If the cancellation affects connecting flights, collections, or home deliveries, we’ll reorganise these services and keep you informed of any changes to your pet’s travel plans.
Throughout the process, we’ll stay in contact with the airline and provide updates as soon as new information becomes available. Our team will ensure your pet continues to receive appropriate care until they are safely on their way again.
As with any flight, we also recommend tracking your pet’s flight status yourself. This can help you stay informed of any changes as they occur, just as you would when travelling yourself or collecting a friend or family member from the airport.
What happens if my pet’s journey includes a connecting flight?
Many pet journeys involve a connecting flight, particularly when travelling between regional locations or across Australia. If your pet isn’t travelling on a direct service, they’ll either remain in the care of the airline during the connection or receive a scheduled welfare check, depending on the length of the layover.
Layovers of less than 3 hours
- If your pet’s connection is less than three hours, they will remain safely in the care of the airline. During this time, there isn’t enough time for Departure Pets to collect, care for, and re-check your pet before their onward flight.
- Your pet will remain in the airline’s secure animal handling facilities between flights before being loaded onto their connecting service.
Layovers of more than 3 hours
- If your pet’s layover exceeds three hours, Departure Pets arranges a mandatory animal welfare check.
- One of our trusted pet handlers will collect your pet from the airline’s freight facility and transport them to a Departure Pets Departure Lounge or one of our trusted agent facilities. Here, your pet can rest in a quiet environment, have fresh water, and be given the opportunity to toilet and stretch their legs before continuing their journey.
- Once it’s time for the onward flight, our team will return your pet to the airport and complete the check-in process for their connecting flight, ensuring they’re safely back in the airline’s care for the final leg of their journey.
These welfare checks are designed to minimise stress and ensure your pet remains comfortable and well cared for throughout longer journeys.
Ready to plan a safe move for your pet?
Every day, families across Australia relocate their pets by air. It’s a bigger deal for you than it is for them, and that’s exactly how it should be. With the right preparation and a clear understanding of how the aircraft hold actually works, the flight itself becomes the calm, well-managed part of the move.
The hold is not what you are imagining, and the flight itself is the easy part. The rest comes down to careful planning and coordination, and that’s where your specialist team comes in, guiding you through the preparation and coordinating with the airline so everything’s in place before travel day.
FAQs about how safe it is for Cats and Dogs to fly in cargo
- Can my dog panic and escape the travel crate during the flight?
No. We use heavy-duty, IATA airline-approved PP (polypropylene) travel crates fitted with secure metal locking mechanisms. These crates are designed to meet international IATA safety standards and are checked, locked and cable-tied before handover to the airline team. - Is the cargo hold dark during the flight?
The hold is not pitch black. Once the doors are secured, the lighting is dimmed. This is deliberate, it helps encourage your cat or dog to curl up and rest during the journey, mimicking their natural, safe den environment. - Do cats and dogs have access to water during the flight?
Yes. Pets are required to travel with access to water throughout their journey. Before departure, airline staff fill the crate’s water container via an external funnel while the crate remains securely locked, in accordance with IATA Live Animal Regulations. The water bowl remains open and accessible inside the crate so your pet can drink whenever they need to during transit.
Because the bowl must remain open for drinking, some water may naturally spill during take-off, landing or turbulence. Once your pet has been checked in, airline staff are not permitted to open the crate to dry your pet or replace wet bedding.As a result, it’s not uncommon for pets to arrive with slightly damp fur or bedding. While it can be surprising for owners, this is a normal consequence of providing continuous access to water during the flight and is generally nothing to be concerned about. - What happens to my pet if our flight is delayed?
Delays can happen, and if one does, your pet’s welfare is always the priority. Airlines handle pets under strict live animal welfare protocols, which include sheltering animals away from the tarmac, monitoring their wellbeing, and ensuring they remain in a safe environment while waiting for departure.Please note that airlines do not always notify us of minor delays. In most cases, we are only advised when a delay exceeds approximately 60 minutes or when the disruption is significant enough to affect your pet’s itinerary.Because of this, we also recommend that owners track their pet’s flight themselves, just as you would if you were travelling or collecting a friend or family member from the airport. This allows you to stay up to date with any minor schedule changes that may not require airline intervention but could affect arrival times.If a flight disruption affects your pet’s planned travel arrangements – such as a connecting flight, airport collection, or home delivery—the airline will notify Departure Pets. Our team will then coordinate any necessary changes to your pet’s travel plans and contact you to keep you informed of any updates.
Rest assured, Departure Pets relies on the airline cargo teams to notify us of any disruption that requires action. If your pet’s travel arrangements need to be adjusted, we’ll work directly with the airline to coordinate the safest and most appropriate solution and will keep you updated every step of the way.
- What happens if my pet’s flight is cancelled?
If your pet’s flight is cancelled, Departure Pets is notified straight away and our team coordinates the next safest travel option, arranging a Departure Lounge stay if needed and keeping you updated throughout. See our section above for the full breakdown. - What happens if my pet’s journey includes a connecting flight?
It depends on the length of the layover. Under three hours, your pet stays safely in the airline’s care between flights. Over three hours, our team collects them for a welfare check and rest at a Departure Lounge before returning them for the onward flight. See our section above for the full breakdown.
Written by Shaun, Managing Director and co-founder of Departure Pets – with lifelong experience in animal care and formal qualifications in animal handling and behaviour.
Last Updated: 6th July 2026
Airline policies, government regulations and industry requirements can change over time. This article reflects information current as of the date above. For the latest requirements specific to your pet’s journey, please contact your Departure Pets consultant.