Transportation of animals and birds

Transportation rules How to arrange and pricing

Which animals can be transported on the airplane?

We transport animals both in the cabin and in the cargo hold. Transporting an animal or bird always requires preparation and adherence to rules, so we recommend thoroughly reviewing this section.

In the cabin

Animals can be transported in the cabin in a cage/carrier if the total weight of the animal and the carrier does not exceed 12 kg. Here is a list of such animals:

Dogs

Cats

Small domestic pets

Songbirds (e.g., canaries, small parrots)

Guide dogs

Always travel in the cabin — with no weight restrictions and without a cage/carrier. For more information on transporting guide dogs, please refer to the «Transportation rules» section.

Brachycephalic dog breeds (with "flat faces," such as pugs, Pekingese, Shih Tzus, boxers, Brussels Griffons, bulldogs, etc.) can only be transported in the cabin: they are too sensitive to temperature changes and stress to travel in the cargo hold. Therefore, if such a dog together with its carrier exceeds 12 kg in weight, we will have to refuse its transportation.
To travel with brachycephalic dogs, a completed guarantee obligation must be submitted to a Smartavia representative before departure.

In the cargo hold

In the cargo hold, we transport animals and birds whose weight, including the cage/carrier, exceeds 12 kg, and only if all transportation requirements are met.

If your flight is operated on an Airbus A320Neo (How to find out which aircraft is operating your flight?), there are certain restrictions. The cargo hold of this aircraft is not heated, and even during warm seasons, the temperature inside ranges from 0 to +5 °C. Therefore, transporting an animal weighing more than 12 kg in the cargo hold is only possible during the summer months and only if release from liability is completed.

How to prepare for transportation

When transporting animals and birds, we strictly adhere to the requirements of veterinary services and other government agencies. Here’s what you need to do to take your pet on the flight:

Inform us that you are traveling with a pet and pay for the service

You can pay for the service on our website at the time of booking/purchasing your flight ticket, and you can inform us of your intention to travel with a pet through the feedback form, call center, or by leaving a request on Smartavia's social media.

Accompany your pet

You must have a valid flight ticket for the flight your pet is taking, and you must be over 12 years old.

Place your pet in a cage/carrier

This is a mandatory condition for transportation. Without a cage/carrier, we will not be able to board your pet on the flight. The exception is for — a guide dog and a service dog, which can travel in the cabin.

Confirm that your pet is healthy

Present the animal's veterinary passport at the check-in desk at the departure airport to confirm that your pet is in good health.

Please read the rules for the transportation of animals established by the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor)

Requirements for cage/carrier for cabin transportation

In the cabin, animals are transported only in a cage or carrier that meets the following requirements:

The total dimensions should not exceed 115 cm (x+y+z ≤ 115 cm).

It must be made of plastic, fiberglass, metal, welded mesh, or wood, as well as durable textiles.

The size should be sufficient for the animal to stand in a natural position, turn around, and lie down.

It must be clean, odor-free, equipped with a reliable locking device, and have ventilation holes. The holes should be sized to ensure air circulation while preventing the animal from harming itself or others.

The bottom should be sturdy, waterproof, and have a perimeter rim. It should be covered with a non-toxic absorbent material.

If transporting a bird, the cage must be covered with a dense lightproof fabric.

One cage/carrier - one animal

In some cases, individual transportation conditions can be arranged; please contact us in advance through the feedback form on our website or via the call center.

Requirements for a Cage/Carrier for Placement in the Luggage Compartment

In the luggage compartment, animals are transported only in a cage or carrier that meets the following requirements:

Total dimensions up to 203 cm (x+y+z ≤ 203 cm). If the carrier dimensions exceed this limit, you won't be able to book the transportation service online — you'll need assistance from specialists. Please contact the call center, any written communication channel, or sales offices.

For transporting animals (birds) in the baggage compartment, the container must be made of impact-resistant rigid material - rigid plastic, metal, welded metal mesh, wood or plywood (Containers made entirely of welded or reinforcement mesh are not accepted for transportation)

For transporting aggressive dog breeds, containers must be made of wood, metal or plywood.

The container size must allow the animal to stand at full height, turn around, lie down and sit in a natural position.

The container must have a solid waterproof bottom, rigid side walls and a solid roof with ventilation openings that don't compromise its rigidity.

Door - metal or plastic with metal fasteners, securely fixed.

Internal surfaces must be smooth.

Ventilation - at least 16% of the total area.

Carrying handles are mandatory.

Wheels - must be removed or fixed during transportation.

For birds, the cage must be covered with a dense light-proof fabric.

detailed rules

This is how you can transport an animal

But you can't do that

Detailed rules

On Smartavia flights, the following animals cannot be transported:

reptiles;
fish, including fish stocking material, marine and freshwater animals that require transport in water;
sick or laboratory animals/birds;
rodents;
arthropods (arachnids, crustaceans));
Animals whose weight, including the cage/carrier, exceeds 50 kg;
large predators;
wild animals that have been domesticated.

We transport animals and birds for an additional fee. Even if your fare includes free baggage, the total weight of the animal or bird with its carrier does not count toward that baggage allowance, and the transport of the animal/bird is charged separately. The cost of this service can be found on this page. Different rates apply depending on the weight and destination of the transport.

Animals can be transported in the cabin of the airplane in a carrier, provided that the total weight of the carrier plus the animal does not exceed 12 kg. The size of the carrier must not exceed 115 cm when measuring the total of its three dimensions (length + width + height). You can find the requirements for containers/carriers for transporting animals in the cabin in this section.

During the flight, the container (cage or carrier) must be placed under the seat in front of you or at your feet. Animals cannot be released from the container, nor should they be fed during the flight.

In one section of the passenger cabin, two antagonistic animals cannot be transported together; for example, a cat and a dog, or a cat and a bird, etc.

Where we will not be able to place your pet:

at emergency exits;
on the floor in the first rows of seats;
next to kitchens and restrooms;
in the same block of seats with passengers traveling with children or with other passengers transporting animals.

If an animal or bird, together with its container/cage, weighs more than 12 kg, we will transport them in the baggage compartment. The exception is guide dogs.

During travel in the baggage compartment, animals must be kept in a container or cage that meets the following requirements:

Total dimensions up to 203 cm (x+y+z ≤ 203 cm). If the carrier dimensions exceed this limit, you won't be able to book the transportation service online — you'll need assistance from specialists. Please contact the call center, any written communication channel, or sales offices.
For transporting animals (birds) in the baggage compartment, the container must be made of impact-resistant rigid material — rigid plastic, metal, welded metal mesh, wood, or plywood (Containers made entirely of welded or reinforcement mesh are not accepted for transportation).
For transporting aggressive dog breeds, containers must be made of wood, metal, or plywood.
The container size must allow the animal to stand at full height, turn around, lie down, and sit in a natural position.

A = length of the animal from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail
B = height from the ground to the elbow joint
C = shoulder width or widest part (whichever is greater)
D = height of the animal in a natural position from the top of the head or ear tips to the ground (whichever is higher)

Length of cage/carrier = A+1/2B
Width of cage/carrier = C×2
Height of cage/carrier E = D + bedding
For brachycephalic breeds, a container 10% larger is recommended.

When transporting multiple animals in one cage/carrier:
Height and length of the cage/carrier are measured according to the larger animal
Width of cage/carrier = C×3 (for two), C×4 (for three)
Construction:
- The container must have a solid, waterproof bottom. The bottom design must prevent spillage of absorbent material.
- The container roof must be solid, with ventilation holes permitted. The holes must not compromise the roof's rigidity.
- The container's sides must be rigid. For wooden containers, sidewall material thickness must be at least 12 mm, and the frame must be made of beams no smaller than 25 mm × 75 mm. The upper part of the sides must have ventilation holes to ensure airflow.
- The upper and lower parts of a collapsible container must be connected by metal bolts with nuts. Using only plastic clips to fasten the parts is not allowed.
- The container door must be metal and smooth. It should be made of welded metal mesh or smooth metal with holes. The door must be securely attached so the animal cannot force it open. Plastic doors are allowed only if the locks and fasteners are metal, and the door pins (hinges) run the full length of the door and protrude at least 16 mm. If there is no reliable locking mechanism, the carrier door must be additionally secured with removable fasteners (e.g., clamps) at all four corners of the door frame. The mesh size of any door must not exceed 25×25 mm to prevent paws, noses, or tails from getting stuck.
- The container's interior must have smooth, rounded surfaces to prevent injury during transport.
- The container must have handles for lifting and carrying. If the cage with the animal weighs over 23 kg, at least two handles are required.
- Ventilation must cover at least 16% of the container's total surface area, which can include the door.
- If the container has wheels, they must be removed or fixed in a non-operational position during transport.
- For birds, the cage must be covered with a dense, light-proof fabric.

If you require the assistance of a guide dog, you can bring it into the aircraft cabin without a carrier and free of charge. Here's what you need to do:

submit a request for guide dog transportation through any convenient method — via the feedback form on the website, Smartavia's social media, or the call center;
provide documentation confirming your visual or hearing impairment.;
provide a certificate of the dog’s specialized training as a guide dog;
safely position the dog in the cabin by putting a collar and muzzle on the dog and securing its leash to the seat at your feet.

If you're traveling with a guide dog, you will be seated at the back of the plane, except for seats near emergency exits.

If you're traveling with a service dog and it weighs less that 12 kg, you can bring it into the cabin without a carrier; if it weighs more than 12 kg — it must travel in the baggage compartment cage/carrier. Transporting a service dog is not free of charge.

To travel with a service dog, you need to:

Through any convenient method — via the feedback form on the website, Smartavia's social media, or the call center — submit a request for service dog transportation ;
pay for the transportation of the animal according to the airline's rate;
provide documentation confirming that you are an employee of a federal authority’s canine service;
provide a certificate of the dog’s specialized training as a service dog;
safely position the dog in the cabin by putting a collar and muzzle on the dog and securing its leash to the seat at your feet.

Airline's responsibility:

Smartavia is not responsible for any deterioration in the animal's health that may occur before, during, or after the flight.
Smartavia is not liable if the destination or transit country prohibits the entry or transit of the animal.
Smartavia may refuse to transport the animal if the passenger does not have a confirmed flight booking or refuses to pay for the animal's transportation.

Passenger's responsibility:

The passenger must comply with all of Smartavia's requirements for transporting animals on board.
The passenger will be required to compensate Smartavia for any losses or additional expenses incurred if any non-standard situation arises during the flight due to the passenger's violation of the animal transportation rules.

When traveling internationally with animals, specific transportation rules may apply. Be sure to review them in advance. Information regarding the import and export of animals can be found on the official websites of the relevant government authorities in Russia and your destination countries.