Flying internationally with a beloved canine or a cat via Turkish Airlines may seem difficult based on feedback posted on Reddit and Tripadvisor. In this article, we will guide you through the steps you need to take to travel with your pet, emotional support animal or service dog. We will be focusing on Turkish Airlines specifically, and you can find information about many other airlines in our blog section.

Emotional Support Animals (ESA) on Turkish Airlines

ESAs are no longer treated the same way as service dogs. The Department of Transportation (DOT for short) issued an update on December 2nd, 2020, regarding service animals, emotional support animals (ESAs), and the rights of disabled passengers. The ruling of the Department of Transportation came into effect on March 1st, 2021, and it changed the way ESAs are treated. Emotional support animals are subject to pet travel policies now. Turkish Airlines is no exception.

Emotional Support Animals, service dogs, and pets are expected to comply with the animal import regulations at the countries of origin and arrival. Please note that they will be treated as pets and will need to comply with the airline’s pet policy.

How to Fly with a Pet or Emotional Support Animal on Turkish Airlines?

Any pet carrier you bring will be treated as extra luggage, and you will be expected to pay a fee for that. The fee will depend on your route, so when you book your flight, you may want to visit the pet calculator page.

You will have to talk to the customer service in advance and let them know you will be bringing a pet. The airline permits domesticated species of birds, cats, and dogs to fly in the passenger cabin. You can bring a single pet carrier to the cabin, and you can have a second pet carrier travel in the cargo hold.

Does Turkish Airlines Accept Psychiatric Service Dogs?

Yes, they do! Fully-trained psychiatric service dogs are welcome on all direct flights to/from the US. You do not have to pay any fees. Depending on your route and completed service dog training, limitations may apply for connecting flights so make sure to talk to the airliner in advance of your departure. Self-trained service dogs are welcome but may face limitations in terms of travel on non-US flights. The good news is that disabled citizens can benefit from preferential pricing.

Do Psychiatric Service Dogs Fly for Free?

Service dogs of all types fly free of charge, but you should make sure your dog complies with the animal import and export regulations applicable to your flight. The acceptance of your psychiatric service dog in the airplane passenger cabin depends a lot on fling your paperwork properly, your dog being healthy, and whether the aircraft has enough space. Please make sure to check our articles:

URGENT!! Why Was My Service Dog Denied Access to the Passenger Cabin? 

How to Fill Up DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form To Fly With Your Service Dog

How to Get a Psychiatric Service Dog Letter 

How to Fly with Your Psychiatric Service Dog on Turkish Airlines?

Turkish Airlines will need you to submit an advance notice that you will be traveling with a service dog. The minimum time they will need to make sure you are accommodated is 48 hours. However, considering the amount of paperwork and requirements you will need to fulfill, we sincerely recommend sending an advance notice at least two weeks before your flight.

Note: The airline does not accept psychiatric service dogs for non-US flights. The airline is reported to accept only general purpose service dogs, guide dogs, and medical alert dogs (such as diabetic alert and seizure alert dogs) for flights in Europe and flights that are not directly to/from the US.

On any connecting flights you take with a psychiatric service dog, you are required to transport the dog in a carrier/kennel. Depending on the size of the dog, it may have to travel in the cargo hold of the airplane.

Please, make sure your canine is fully trained and healthy before boarding any flights. Nobody wants to travel with unsafe passengers and canines in a metal tube speeding through the sky at hundreds of miles per hour that is soaring over 33,0000 feet (10 km).

How to Get Your Legitimate Psychiatric Service Dog with a Service Dog School

Our company provides owner-trained psychiatric service dog courses to disabled citizens in the US, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and many other countries. If you are struggling with seizures, monitoring your blood sugar levels and coping with cardiac issues, we may be able to help as well.

The service dog regulations in the US permit domestic and foreign passengers to travel with self-trained service dogs within the US and to other countries provided they meet the US DOT, CDC, and public safety requirements. We discuss the primary law on service dogs and disability rights – the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – and the rules for service-dogs-in-training.

Get Your Psychiatric Service Dog Certification

You are welcome to check the learning plan (syllabus) for the Psychiatric Service Dog training course and consult our team. We would be happy to assist you in properly training your canine and meeting industry standards for safe conduct. At the end of your course, you will be awarded with a certificate for completed service dog training to attest to your achievements. Each certificate has a unique number that companies like Turkish Airlines can use to quickly verify the status of your service dog.

What is the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA)?

The Air Carrier Access Act from 1986 (49 U.S.C. § 41705) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel, which includes a policy on service dogs. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the government body that enforces and protects your rights as a passenger. The policies of the DOT apply equally to domestic and foreign-based airlines conducting flights to/from the US. We sincerely recommend reading the “Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights”. You can find a fact sheet published by the Research and Training Center on Promoting Interventions for Community Living.

What is the Difference Between an Emotional Support Animal and a Psychiatric Service Dog?

Under the ADA, service animals are defined as follow:

“Service animal - means a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Animal species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training are not service animals for the purposes of this part.”

Emotional Support Animals can be any domesticated species, while service dogs can be only canines. ESAs do not undergo any specialized training beyond basic obedience, while service dogs undertake individual training to directly aid the daily lives of their users and be safe to use in public.

More on the subject is presented in our article: Service Animals vs Emotional Support Animals vs Therapy Animals

Turkish Airlines’ Service Dog Policy

The airline accepts only fully trained canines that are capable of supporting a disabled citizen. The airline prefers to use the term - Service animals (SVAN) – to refer to specially trained canines for people with special medical requirements. The service dogs travel free of charge and must be accompanied at all times, leashed, and come with identification papers. 

Turkish Airlines—Required Documentation

1. You will have to procure a health certificate that is signed and dated by a federally certified veterinarian. You can use the APHIS page to locate one. The health certificate must not have been issued more than 14 days prior to departure.

2. You will have to fill out the US DOT Service Animal Transportation form (click here for the PDF file)

3. On any flight of eight hours or more, you will be required to submit a completed ‘‘U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation’’ (“DOT Animal Relief Form”) as a condition of transportation. Click here for the PDF file.

4. The airline may ask you to show proof that your accompanying service dog is fully trained. Under US laws, you are not required to show them proof. However, if you do any connecting flights, you may be legally required to present proof of completed service dog training, so we encourage you to learn about the regulations that apply to your flight.

Any passenger with an ESA/pet will be expected to submit evidence that their animal is properly vaccinated, in good health, and accompanied by the proper animal entry permit for their route. We recommend you check the US Department of Agriculture veterinary requirements for animals and carefully read the pet travel page.

Other Turkish Airlines Policies To Know

The airliner typically allows one service dog to travel for free per passenger. Disabled passengers can be accompanied by a caretaker/companion, and both can benefit from a disability discount. If you need to travel with more than one service dog, please talk to the airline as soon as possible. There are limitations as to the number of service animals that will be allowed onboard the aircraft.

Additionally, the airline seems to require their passengers to agree that their service animals will not use any restrooms during the flight. This is worrying as the Air Carrier Access Act does not enable airlines to refuse service dogs access to restrooms for the duration of their flight. While you will be protected under the Act for flights to/from the US, the same can not be said for connecting flights, so proceed carefully.

Other important requirements to keep in mind include: 

    • The service dog must be wearing a vest and/or identification collar, and the leash or harness must be attached to the passenger’s belt throughout the flight.

    • Throughout the flight, the service dog must remain clean and seated in front of the passenger’s feet. It is strictly prohibited for the dog to sit in the passenger seat, and a muzzle must be kept in case of excessive barking, teeth baring, etc., during travel.

Turkish Airlines Pet Fees

The airline is offering transport to pets and emotional support animals for a fee. A reservation must be completed and confirmed at least six hours before the flight to transport a pet either in the cabin or in the aircraft hold. Please keep in mind that even if a request to travel with a pet is granted during the booking process, it may be denied at the airport.

A maximum of two pet carriers are permitted for each passenger. Only cats over 10 weeks of age and dogs over 24 weeks of age will be considered for transportation. You can easily calculate how much your pet’s fare will cost you.

Turkish Airlines Breed Restrictions

Turkish Airlines refuses to transport breeds that are considered dangerous. The airline is not going to accept any dogs on their aircraft that are purebred or hybrids from these breeds:

Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Pitbull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, and American Bully

In case there are special considerations, the airline may agree to transport the following breeds and hybrids in the cargo hold in special cages:

American Bulldog, Bandog Tosa Inu, Caucasian Ovcharka, Douge De Bordeux, Doberman (Pincher Doberman and all Doberman types), Presa Canario, Rottweiler; Mastiff (except Bull Mastiff), Wolf Dog Hybrids, Anatolian Shepherd, Boerboel

Turkish Airlines Pet Carrier Size Requirements

The carrier dimensions must be no more than 23 cm in height, 30 cm in width, and 40 cm in length. That translates to 9 inches in height, 12 inches in width, and 16 inches in length. Please note that the airline does not accept pet carriers and the animals inside of them exceed 8 kg / 17 lbs of combined weight. Pet charges are charged per crate. If a passenger is traveling with two cats in one crate, there is only a per crate charge, not per cat.

You may want to refer to the Pet Fees Page for Turkish Airlines.

The carrier must be a soft case and have ventilation holes of at least 2.5 cm in diameter on at least three sides. The crate’s cover or zippers must be closed at all times. For pets to travel safely in the aircraft cargo hold, the carriers/cages must have a hard surface and be sufficiently sturdy. Soft-surfaced carriers/cages are not accepted in the cargo hold.

F.A.Q.

Can My Dog Sit on My Lap During a Turkish Airlines Flight?

-No. Neither service animals nor pet/ESAs will be allowed to be placed on your lap for the duration of the flight. Any animals allowed in the passenger cabin must be seated on the floor.

Can Turkish Airlines Ask for Proof of Completed Training?

-They can for connecting flights. If you are taking a direct flight to/from the US, they can not legally ask you for proof of completed training for your service animal.

Can Turkish Airlines Deny a Psychiatric Service Dog?

-Yes, they can. This usually depends on the size of the dog due to space limitations, the route you are taking as some countries have strict regulations, missing documentation, or legitimate concerns about the dog’s health. Additionally, the airline refuses to accept some breeds and hybrids. Please check the breed restrictions discussed above. Disruptive behavior from any animal is grounds for refusing transportation service.

Where to Call or Visit for More Information on Turkish Airlines’ Pet Policy?

-We recommend reaching out to the airline via their mobile app. You can also use their WhatsApp channel.

You may want to check the advice per country and the FAQ Section for Turkish Airlines.