Flying internationally with a pet involves more than the time in the air. There are veterinary appointments and documents to organise, airport arrangements to consider and, often, further travel after landing. We help you prepare for each stage in advance, so that the important details have been dealt with well before the day of travel.
With Vicuna, pets travel in the cabin rather than in the hold. We get to know the animals travelling with us before departure, give them time to settle at the lounge, arrange the cabin around the group travelling that day and provide complimentary onward chauffeur transport on arrival.
Before you fly
Once a booking is confirmed, we speak with every owner before travel. We want to understand anything about your pet that could affect the trip, including their temperament, previous travel experience, how they respond to unfamiliar people or animals, any medical or mobility needs, and anything likely to make them anxious or unsettled. That information helps us plan seating, space and the mix of animals travelling together.
We also help with the practical preparation. We set out the documentation timetable, review the copies you send us and flag anything that appears incomplete or inconsistent. Where veterinary input is needed, we can explain what is required and connect you with one of our veterinary partners if useful. You remain responsible for ensuring the documents are correct and complete, but we help make the process clearer and easier to manage.
The day itself
We ask passengers to arrive at the private lounge or FBO around an hour before departure. This gives the pets time to settle after the journey to the airport and to become accustomed to the other animals travelling that day, while their owners remain with them throughout. It also means there is no need to rush straight from arrival into boarding; there is time to check in, get comfortable and let the group settle naturally before moving to the aircraft.
That time before boarding is useful for us as well. The pre-flight conversations give us a good picture of each pet in advance, but seeing the group together can tell us things that are difficult to judge on paper or over the phone. We can see which animals are immediately comfortable around one another, which would prefer a little more space, and make any final adjustments to the seating plan before boarding.
In the cabin
Once onboard, dogs stay with their owners in the cabin. Depending on their size and the space available, they may sit on an owner's lap, on the seat or sofa beside them where safety requirements permit, or on the floor nearby. All dogs wear a secure harness and are attached to the aircraft seat using the Vicuna bungee for the duration of the flight. With passenger numbers kept to around ten, the cabin can be arranged to suit the particular group travelling that day rather than treated as a fixed seating plan.
Throughout the flight, the Vicuna Concierge keeps an eye on how the animals are settling and helps where needed, whether that means offering water, creating a little more space or adjusting the seating. Our Concierge team is trained in dog handling and certified in canine first aid and CPR. For owners, the rest is straightforward: stay with your pet, work if you need to, or settle in for the flight, with Starlink available for connectivity.
On arrival
Where border, veterinary or regulatory checks are required, we'll stay with you through the process and help where we can. Once you're ready to leave the airport, a complimentary chauffeur is available to take you and your pet onward within 25 miles of the arrival airport.
If you have further travel ahead, our team can also help with the onward arrangements, making the move from the flight to the next stage as straightforward as possible.
The Vicuna experience
Taken together, those details are what shape a Vicuna journey: preparation before departure, time for pets to settle, in-cabin travel and practical support when you land. You remain closely involved in your pet's travel, but you have our team alongside you throughout.
If you're planning a journey and would like to talk through how it would work for you and your pet, please get in touch with the team.