Wait at Paphos Airport Beach... with your dog

Dirt road down to beach from car park

Sage found this one, while waiting for my flight to arrive from Crete. It's a very useful spot for waiting for loved ones with your dog, or waiting for your dog's flight.

Just seconds before the final roundabout for Paphos International Airport, take the small turn on your left hand side where you see a few cars parked a bit haphazardly. It seems like some people use this as long-term parking...

Car park area

This is a great place to leave your car for that half an hour you have to kill before one person leaves - especially if you have a dog. It's free, there is some shade from trees around the edges, and from here you can walk down a short unmade road to a pebbly beach and the sea.

Airport seen from the beach

The beach is a lovely surprise. It's pebbly, and right next door to the airport, so I don't suppose it's ever going to be one of Cyprus' top 10 beach spots, but it's long, with beautiful turquoise blue water, and nobody around. That suits us just fine, when the aim is to have a run around before or after a long car journey, and to find a discreet place for a pee.

You can even watch the planes come in, to make sure you don't miss any arrivals. I definitely don't recommend this as a day out in Cyprus with your dog - but as a convenient stop before or after a flight or long car journey, it's a great find!

Paphos Airport Beach

Fly from major European cities to Cyprus and Greece... with your dog

Flying with your pet can be pricey. This is undeniable. But I have recently come across travel forums that are giving false advice to people wanting to travel within Europe with their pets. Some airlines insist that you organise your travel through a pet travel agency - which then charge around 250€ to be the middle man. But this is NOT true of all airlines and this is an extra cost you can safely avoid.

So, if you want to fly with your pet to Cyprus from the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Greece and various other locations, I would recommend trying Cyprus Airways (http://cyprusair.com)

Here is the price list for pet travel to ALL destinations, for a single ticket, with Cyprus Airways:

• Up to 8kg, a dog (or cat) may be travel with you, in a carrier case, inside the cabin. Cost - 40€

• From 9-25kg, your dog (or very fat cat??) must travel in the pressure and oxygen controlled section of the hold, in a suitable carrier case. Cost - 80€

• From 25kg and upwards, rules as above. Cost - 160€

Note: The dog owner is responsible for buying a suitable sized carrier case, pet passport, microchip etc

For flights to Greece (from UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and many other locations), I recommend Aegean (http://en.aegeanair.com)

Here is the price list for pet travel to ALL destinations, for a single ticket, with Aegean Airways:

• Up to 8kg, a dog (or cat) may be travel with you, in a carrier case, inside the cabin. Cost - 40€

• From 9-25kg, your dog (or very fat cat??) must travel in the pressure and oxygen controlled section of the hold, in a suitable carrier case. Cost - 80€

• From 25kg and upwards, rules as above. Cost - 150€

British Airways is one of the airlines that insist on customers using an additional 'pet travel agency' to book plane tickets for their pets. The BA website does not include prices for pet travel, and makes it almost impossible for you to contact either staff at BA or at the handlers they use IAG Cargo. I had a polite but brief response to my email from IAG Cargo, informing me that they do not deal with individuals, only with pet travel agents, so could not answer my questions (regarding regulations, price etc). I still do not know how much BA charge for a single pet ticket from the UK to Cyprus, for example, but you can bet that with the additional cost of the pet travel agency, on top of the ticket price, this is going to be quite a sum!

The budget airlines (Ryanair, EasyJet) do not accept animals in the cabins or in the hold of the planes.

Have a look at this previous post: http://bit.ly/1g3yyaN for info on the documents and health requirements etc that pets need before travel

See also my 6 reasons why travel with pets is worth the cost and the trouble: http://bit.ly/1gtbItF

Getting to Cyprus... with your dog

For more specific information on cost, procedure and requirements for flying with your dog, see my earlier post: http://travelcypruswithyourdog.blogspot.com/2013/07/flying-with-your-dog.html


The day before my journey back to Cyprus....

Until now, I have tried to write about the positive aspects of traveling with a dog to and around Cyprus. I decided not to write about the places that don't allow dogs, and instead just to focus on the places that do. I would like to encourage people to holiday with their pets, and to give advice on how to do this in the easiest, least stressful, most economical ways.

However, I also want to be honest about my experiences, and today I want to complain a little.

I booked flights for this summer with CyprusAirways, traveling from Cyprus to Crete with return. The journey out was relatively stress free. Staff in the airport were civil, the price was lower than for previous flights, there were no delays... fine.

Now the airline has changed my flight home. We have to fly from Crete to Thessaloniki (totally the wrong direction), wait for 40 minutes without leaving the plane, then on to Larnaca from there. It's a total of 4 hours for poor Sage, sitting in her cage in the belly of the plane.

I know animals do journeys like this, and longer, all the time. I'm just very anxious that there will be delays, or a sudden change of planes. That I won't be able to go to check on her if we are held up in Thessaloniki.

When they changed our flights, I checked every other option. There is nothing we can do. There are no ferries, at all, from Europe to Cyprus. The cheaper airlines, which do have direct flights (such as Ryanair from Chania to Paphos) don't carry animals at all. Every other flight would go via Athens or somewhere else, with long waits in the airport or multiple changes.

I really hope this is a temporary blip from CyprusAirways. We'll see how this journey goes...

Arriving at Larnaca airport after a 4 hour flight from Crete via Thessaloniki

The day after my journey back to Cyprus...

On the whole, everything went smoothly enough. The main problem I faced was my own fault. I arrived at Heraklion airport and was lucky enough to have a very kind and patient friend with me to help. If you are traveling without someone to help, I'd recommend having everything ready, and paying for a minivan to the airport, with the carrier cage already constructed, and the dog inside!

I tried to check my suitcase first, so that I would have less luggage to think about, to focus on my huge carrier cage and dog. Unfortunately, I had left the screws that attach the top of the cage to the bottom... inside my checked suitcase. I left Sage tied to a post in the shade, with the 2 halves of the cage, and my friend, and went running back inside. It was a bit of a pain to get my suitcase back, everyone tutting and looking annoyed, and finally I had to run round to Arrivals, grab the suitcase, back to Departures, and start over again. It was also a hot day, which made running with suitcases even more unpleasant. Luckily it is a small airport.

One extra complication was that you are not permitted to park outside the airport except to unload luggage, so my friend had to fend off officious security guards, at least 3 times, who were trying to get her to move her car.

We had got to the airport in plenty of time, but by the time I had fixed the cage, coaxed poor Sage inside with a biscuit or two, re-checked my suitcase, checked Sage in where they check 'special luggage', panicked that I'd left the wheels on her cage and caused a scene so that the security guard had to lift the whole thing so that I could remove the wheels...... I ran back to security just in time as my plane was boarding.

The staff of Cyprus Airways were wonderful. At the airport they were very helpful and efficient. On board, I asked an air steward where the compartment for animals was, in relation to where I was sitting, and she went to find out for me. Then the pilot (or co-pilot?) came over to tell me that Sage would be more or less under my seat, at the back of the plane. They were extremely nice and reassuring. After re-boarding the plane in Thessaloniki (luggage and Sage stayed on the plane in the meantime), the same guy (pilot/co-pilot) recognised me, and told me he'd checked on Sage and she was fine!! I was very touched that he'd made the effort to do this.

When she finally came out at the collection point for 'special luggage' at Larnaca Airport, I could see I wasn't going to get any help loading her, in her cage, onto a trolley already packed with suitcase and hand luggage. Staff there were not particularly willing. But after a long and stressful day of traveling I was at the end of my tether and demanded that the guy standing around 'working' help me lift the cage, with a kind of 'I'm not taking no for an answer' tone of voice. He helped.

And so we arrived, safe and sound. We were met at the gate, and found a quiet spot outside to dismantle the cage so as to fit in the car, and to let Sage have a breather and a long drink of water.

I still hope that they resume flights (for animals) between Crete and Cyprus, but all in all, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.

Taxi travel... with your dog (in a carrier)

I have been in a couple of taxis in Cyprus with my dog. When we first arrived in Cyprus, at Larnaca Airport, we were overloaded with suitcases, bags, a heavy, unhappy dog in her carrier case, and we were lucky to find a taxi large enough to fit us all in. We hadn't booked in advance. The taxi driver was very friendly, and helped us lift our 30kg dog, in her cage, into the back of his mini-van taxi. We paid 15 Euros from the airport to our home, which is a little outside the centre of Larnaca. This seems to be the standard fee for that distance, with or without a dog.

This is the link for Larnaca airport with information about taxis:
http://www.hermesairports.com/showpage.php?PageID=198

The phone number of the taxi company at the airport: 00357 24656195

And the list of tariffs: http://www.hermesairports.com/docs/guide%20taxi%20service.pdf

When we tried to book a taxi to take us back to the airport, again with suitcases and a dog in a cage, we used a different company, as we couldn't contact the other. Website:   http://www.larnaca-airport-taxis.com/ 
When we said that we had luggage and a dog, and so needed a big car, they sent a van and charged us 30 Euros for the same journey.

I contacted Taxi Express, the taxi company that has minivans that you share with others for a cheaper journey, but they told me their license does not permit them to carry animals.

The taxi office in the centre of Larnaca told me they always accept animals, but they must be in a cage. This is fine if you are going to or from the airport, but it's not very helpful if you are out and about with your big dog, and don't happen to have the cage with you.

If you are traveling with a medium-large sized dog, it may be easier to rent a car: http://travelcypruswithyourdog.blogspot.gr/2013/07/rent-car-in-cyprus-with-your-dog.html

Cyprus by bus... with your dog

Buses in Cyprus run fairly frequently (although they stop running quite early in the evening), and are usually the cheapest option for exploring the island. There are intercity buses, running between Larnaca, Lemesos, Nicosia etc, as well as smaller, local buses. You can find information on bus routes from the site below: http://www.cyprusbybus.com/default.aspx

I contacted the bus company to ask whether dogs are permitted on the buses. The answer:

"You are allowed to have pets on board in special baskets with dimensions up 70X40X50cm."

I checked, and this means with you on the bus, not underneath with the luggage. There have been horror stories of pets dying from heat and lack of air when traveling in the luggage section of buses in some European countries. Please don't risk this, ever!

Sage's carrier is a bit larger than the permitted size - 70x50x90 cm - and I don't know how I would manage to carry that, with Sage inside, onto a bus. I've also been on Cypriot buses without my dog, and they can get pretty crowded. I suppose if you board the bus at the first stop, and disembark at the final stop, so you can take your time, this might be manageable. I would recommend this option if you have a small dog that you can carry, but not really for anything above 15-20 kilos (or however much you can comfortably carry).

Unfortunately, this information is not available on the Cyprus by bus website. I did receive an official answer to my query however, so do protest if you are refused entry by individual bus drivers. 

Rent a car in Cyprus... with your dog

I sent off enquiries to various car companies, asking whether they allowed animals in their rental cars. Unfortunately, I only received answers from 2 companies...

Dog-friendly   
Europcar (http://www.europcar-cyprus.com)
Reservations: reservations@europcar.com.cy

Tel: 00357 25 880222

Response:  Yes you may rent a car with us. Please be aware that should the vehicle be returned dirty or stained (as a result from your pet) a valeting charge will apply.

I apreciated the swift response, and the polite, clear instructions. I would definitely recommend you try this company

NOT dog-friendly

easyCar (http://www.easycar.com) 

Response: I can confirm none of our supplier we work with allow animals in their rental vehicles.

Apologies for the inconvenience this may cause.

Again, I appreciated that they replied, and that they had set rules concerning dog travel, even though they do not allow dogs.

I will update this post as and when I get further information...........

Flying... with your dog

At Larnaca Airport

We just began out Cretan holiday!!

The flight was fine, but the whole experience is a bit traumatic for all of us. As we had flown before, we had already done some research about how to arrange it. Here is a list:

• Check with the airlines whether they accept animals. The budget ones (EasyJet, Ryanair) tend not to carry animals at all. Hopefully this will change, it's probably worth checking. If you can't find the information on their websites, just ring up and ask

• Check what requirements the particular airline has. Most request that you provide a cage for your dog. It is supposed to be large enough so the dog can stand up, and turn around. It should have a very secure door. These can be bought from most pet shops, or you could search online for discounts. For long journeys, it is essential to provide access to water

• We have flown twice with Cyprus Airways. They require that you phone to check whether they can accept pets on the dates you want to fly. When we flew at Christmas, I was told that we couldn't fly on a particular day as some cats had already booked tickets for that day! Try to arrange as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment

• Within Europe, there are not too many regulations:

1. Your dog must have a microchip for identification
2. You also need a European passport for your dog (available from your vet)
3. Your dog must have up to date vaccination - for rabies 
4. Up to date tapeworm treatment
5. A stamp from your vet to certify that your dog is fit to travel

• I would recommend that you organise the microchip and passport some days before you plan to travel. Give yourself time 

• If you are an overly anxious parent, as I am, it may be worth going to the vet a week prior to travel anyway, to tell them your travel plans, and to arrange an appointment for the final check up - just to make sure they have time to see you, and there is nothing you have forgotten

• Go to your vet 2 days before flying so they can stamp your dog's passport to show they have been examined and are fit to fly. Also to take the pills against tapeworm.

You are ready to fly...

COST

Airlines charge different amounts for transportation of animals. Again, check with the airline before you book. 

Sage's carrier cost 140 Euros from a pet shop. I am sure I could have shopped around for a bargain online, but I was pushed for time. Smaller carriers, for smaller dogs, inevitably cost less. The bottom half of her carrier serves as a bed when we are not traveling. This helps her to feel familiar and safe when it comes time to travel.

Sage had the microchip implanted as a deal from the animal welfare charity when she was neutered. A quick search online just now showed that prices vary from about 30-50 Euros - you could check with your local animal welfare group to see whether you can get it done more cheaply/for free. 

In Crete, I paid 20 Euros for the pet passport, and for the vet to examine Sage and validate the passport. The second time we flew, from Cyprus, I paid 30 Euros just for the check up and tapeworm treatment. These prices depend on the charges of your vet.

Finally, the big one, when we flew from Crete to Cyprus at Christmas, Cyprus Airways were charging by the kilo for the transportation of animals. The fees were 7.50 Euros per kilo. Sage weighed in at 30 kilos, plus the weight of the carrier - we paid 280 Euros (one way!!) They have since changed the pricing system, now you pay a set fee if your dog is up to 20 kilos, another fee up to 30 kilos etc. It cost 160 Euros, one way, for Sage and the carrier. 

Again, I expect every airport has a different procedure, and every airline a different system for booking, pricing, paying etc. Our journey was quite straight forward:

• We turned up early to the airport, with Sage already in her carrier, and went straight to the check in desk. They re-directed us to a counter that was for people with special travel requirements. 
• We tried to weigh her on the suitcase belt, but the carrier was too big. The staff of the airline just asked us her weight and charged us accordingly. Stricter airlines may make you weigh the animal in front of them.
• I went to pay at the desk for excess luggage charges (luggage handler for several airlines). 
• We went outside to wait, so as not to check our 'special luggage' earlier than necessary. We made sure she had a drink of water.
• When it was time, we went to the area where you check oversized luggage. Here we had to take her out of the carrier, so they could scan the carrier. I walked through security with her on the lead. Then I got her back into the carrier (by means of a couple of treats - useful to have with you if your dog is as greedy as mine), and then had to leave her waiting on a conveyer belt to be carried out to the plane.

I then went through security as normal, and waited to find her on the other side....

The worst part of all of this was at Heraklion airport, when we arrived in Crete. I suppose this is a hazard of flying in the summer months. There were too many flights landing, chaos in the airport, people pushing and shoving for their luggage, and nobody to ask where to collect our dog. I admit I got in a bit of a panic. There was nobody at the luggage handling desk, and nobody seemed to know anything. Finally, as our luggage started to arrive on the belt, I heard a little bark somewhere close by through the crowd, and she was sitting there in her carrier, looking relieved to see me. You don't need to know that I cried just a little, out of relief!

A final note....

For Sage's first flight, we gave her sedatives. It was recommended by the vet, and I thought it would be a good idea. It wasn't. It was horrible. I have since read that this is not generally recommended as the dog is not able to balance during the flight as the plane moves around. It may also lead to respiratory and cardiovascular problems due to the increased pressure. I suppose if your dog is particularly anxious, and it is necessary to fly, consult your vet to see if there are alternatives to sedatives that your dog could take. For Sage, considering it was a short flight (1 hour 15 minutes), I decided not to sedate her for her second flight. It may  have been more traumatic, I don't know, but she certainly recovered from it MUCH more quickly, and was her old self within minutes, instead of the 2 days she took to recover the 

previous time. For more information on sedating animals for transport, see: http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?title=Traveling_By_Air_With_Your_Pet 

And so here we are, ready to start exploring, and blogging about all our experiences from our holidays in Crete

On the beach at Ammoudara