The Good Transit

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So, you're travelling by plane from Point A to Point B, but routes and schedules require a transit stop for a few hours somewhere along the way. While you're waiting for that second and final leg of your flight, aren't you just DYING for a cuddle? Come on now, admit it - you want a scratch behind the ears while you're stuck in an airport in the middle of nowhere waiting to get home, don't ya. And maybe... you cutie-pie you... it's a pee-break you need. Are you a little hungry? Need a walk?

Did you know that animals... your pets... travelling around the world often have to do a "transit stop" too? Too true. And if they're transiting through a reasonably modern airport they should be getting "transit care" while in transit so that a walk, water and food, and yes, even a cuddle are on the menu. And you can check ahead of time with your pet transport agent and/or the airline to ensure this is the case. In fact, if your pet is not going to get transit care because of the nature of the airport or the location, you should probably consider rerouting.

DKC are the animal care provider for Emirates Airline and dnata, so we can tell you a little about the kind of care your pet is getting when passing through Dubai International Airport in transit and what you should expect, in fact, when your pet is transiting through any airport. 

First things first: Did you know that animals are ALWAYS loaded into the aircraft LAST and offloaded FIRST? That's right. This is to ensure that they are cared for on the ground as much as possible before and after a flight. And when they're not in the plane, they're kept in a kind of "animal hotel" at the airport where your dog or cat are taken out of their travel crates and put into larger enclosures so they can stretch out and relax for a while. Dogs are exercised at DXB in the outdoors on grass (where they also do a little toileting mission, as you can imagine) and cats are given litter. And everyone gets water and food AND... that's right, scratches and cuddles. They ALSO get a little physical examination to make sure they're healthy and happy and fit for their onward journey, with action taken if not, and their travel crates too get closely studied to ensure good condition, with repairs or replacement done if need be. As for the many other types of animal, well... let's just say that lions and snakes and birds and fish aren't quite the cuddling types.