(1) General provisions
Limited to domesticated cats and dogs only.
Cats, dogs and their crossbreeds that are aggressive, may harm people or are prone to breathing difficulties will not be accepted for carriage, including but not limited to terriers, boxers, bulldogs, spaniels, mastiffs, pugs, mastiffs, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, Boston terriers, Brussels griffons, spaniels, English cocker spaniels, English toy spaniels, King Charles spaniels, bullmastiffs, Affenpinschers, Lhasa apsos, Pekingese, Chow Chows, Japanese chins, shar-peis, shih tzus, pit bulls, Japanese mastiffs (including Tosa-Inus), Brazilian mastiffs, Dogo Argentinos, Burmese cats, Himalayan cats, Persian cats, exotic shorthair cats (such as ‘Garfield’), etc.
Cats and dogs that are pregnant, less than 8 weeks old, nursing, have given birth within 7 days or are sick will not be accepted for carriage.
Live pets carried as checked baggage must be loaded into cargo compartments equipped with an oxygen supply. The cargo compartments on some models of Air China aircraft are not equipped with oxygen supplies and are unable to transport pets.
You will remain fully liable for any pet transported as checked baggage. Air China shall not be held liable for any illness, injury or death of pets during carriage for reasons not related to Air China.
(2) Carriage requirements
Should you require your pet to be carried as checked baggage, please ensure that you submit an application when you make your reservation, as pets will only be carried following approval by Air China.
Only one pet may be checked in per passenger and only one pet may be carried per aircraft.
The weight of each pet shall not exceed 32 kg (including the weight of the pet container and the food and water within).
You must personally check in your pet at the airport no later than 120 minutes before departure on the day of your flight.
You are required to agree to and sign a “Risk Notice” when you check in your pet.
Air China does not currently offer an interline pet transportation service with other airlines.
(3) Transport documents
If you are taking a domestic flight, you must be able to produce a quarantine certificate for your pet issued by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ)
If you are taking an international or regional flight, in addition to producing a quarantine certificate for your pet issued by the AQSIQ, you must also ensure that you satisfy the requirements relating to the transportation of pets for the countries you are entering/exiting or transiting.
(4) Quarantine requirements for pets entering China
In accordance with Announcement No. 5 [2019] of the General Administration of Customs of China, “Announcement on Further Regulating the Quarantine Supervision of Pets Brought into China,” Air China would like to remind you of the new quarantine requirements for pets entering the country through airports:
(1) Only dogs or cats (including service dogs for disabled persons) may be brought into the country and only one pet is permitted per person.
(2) For all pets brought into the country, China Customs must be provided with valid quarantine certificates and valid rabies vaccination certificates issued by the official animal quarantine agency of the country or region from which the pet is being exported.
(3) Pets must have electronic chips that conform to ISO 11784 and ISO 11785 international standards. The 15-digit microchip code may only consist of numbers and must be capable of being read by a reader. If the chip does not meet these standards, you should provide your own reader that is capable of reading the implanted chip.
(4) Pets entering the country shall undergo quarantine for 30 days at a quarantine facility designated by China Customs, except for pets exempt from quarantine in the following circumstances:
a. Pets brought into the country from one of the following 19 designated countries or territories: New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hawaii (United States), Guam (United States), Jamaica, Iceland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Cyprus, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong (China) or Macau (China) that have valid electronic chips and pass on-site quarantine.
b. Pets from non-designated countries or territories (i.e. all countries and territories other than designated countries or territories) that have electronic chips, pass on-site quarantine and for which a rabies antibody test report issued by an approved laboratory can be provided (antibody titer or immune antibody level must be above 0.5 IU/ml).
c. Guide dogs, hearing dogs or search and rescue dogs that have valid electronic chips, pass on-site quarantine and for which the person bringing the pet is able to provide relevant user certificates and professional training certificates.
• Pets that need to be quarantined must enter the country through ports equipped with quarantine facilities. The General Administration of Customs of China publishes a regularly updated list of ports with quarantine facilities on its official website. As of the date when these new regulations come into force, the list of ports with quarantine facilities is as follows:
Name of port
Name of agency
Beijing Capital International Airport
Capital International Airport Customs
Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing West Railway Station Customs
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Hongqiao International Airport Customs
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Pudong International Airport Customs
Shanghai Railway Station
Station Customs
Shanghai International Cruise Terminal
Pujiang Customs
Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal
Wusong Customs
Urumqi Diwopu International Airport
Urumqi Airport Customs
Alashankou
Alashankou Customs
Urumqi Diwopu International Airport
Urumqi Airport Customs
(6) Air China shall not be held liable if a pet is repatriated or destroyed within a certain period of time by Customs due to the pet having entered the country other than in accordance with the above regulations.
(7) For all other specific quarantine requirements, please visit the official website of the General Administration of Customs of China (http://www.customs.gov.cn) and consult Announcement No. 5 [2019], “Announcement on Further Regulating the Quarantine Supervision of Pets Brought into China.”
(5) Pet container requirements
A. Dimensions
You must contact Air China in advance to confirm whether the dimensions of the container meet aircraft requirements in terms of hatch door dimensions and hold capacity. The dimensions of the container must also allow the pet to stand, turn around and lie down in a natural manner.
B. Materialss
Materials are limited to fiberglass, metal, rigid plastic, welded mesh and hardwood only. Containers comprised entirely of welded mesh or wire solder are not suitable for air transportation. Containers made of rigid plastic can only be used to transport small dogs and are not suitable for the transportation of live dogs that are large or highly aggressive in nature.
C. Ventilation holes
Ventilation holes are to be located within the upper third of the walls on three sides of the container (excluding the container door). Holes must be no larger than 2.5 cm*2.5 cm in size for dogs and no larger than 1.9 cm*1.9 cm in size for cats. There must be a distance of 10 cm between the center of each hole and the next, and ventilation holes must occupy at least 16% of the surface area of the four container walls. Additional holes may be placed on the top or on the sides of the container for increased ventilation as required. All openings must be capable of preventing the pet from protruding its nose or claws outside the container.
D. Doors
A door should be located at one end of the container and make up one side of the container itself. The door must be equipped with a sliding chain or hinge as a locking device. Doors must be made from welded metal that is strong enough to withstand it being bent or damaged by the pet. Doors on rigid plastic containers should have protuberances of at least 1.6 cm in size at the top and bottom so that hinges and locking pins can be fitted.
On either side of the container door, spacer bars or handles should be fitted along the middle of the outer walls of both sides of the container to facilitate handling and shield the container from other baggage.
Containers made of rigid plastic (except for collapsible containers) used for transporting large dogs must have at least two security latches in order to meet requirements. If the container has wheels, these must be removed or steps taken to ensure that they cannot move.
E. Floors
Container floors must be solid in order to prevent the seepage of feces and urine, and absorbent bedding material should also be provided by the shipper (straw cannot be used as a bedding material).
F. Roofs
The shipper must ensure that the roof of the container is solid. Ventilation holes may be placed across the entire surface of the roof providing that these holes do not reduce the integrity and stability of the roof itself.
G. Food and water containers
The pet container must have a fixed water container that allows for water to be added to it without opening the pet container itself.
Feed containers must be fixed inside the pet container or attached to the pet container itself. Food may be attached to the pet container for use in the event of flight delays.
(6) Fee schedules
Please seeFee Schedules for Excess Special Baggage
(7) Transportation of service dogs
For service dogs that are brought into the cabin, please see (Disabled Passengers Who Need Assistance)
The requirements above also apply to service dogs transported in the cargo compartment.