Service Dogs

We recognize the critical role service dogs play in assisting individuals with disabilities. We welcome customers travelling with trained service dogs and ensure a smooth and comfortable journey. We recommend starting this process at the time of booking so we have enough time to review and approve your information and documentation before your scheduled departure. If you are unsure whether your dog will qualify, please contact Flair Accessibility Services before you book your flight(s).

If your service dog request is declined because the information or documentation is incomplete, or because there is not enough time to process it, and you choose not to travel, your cancellation will follow our Cancellation Policy.

In this article, you will find information on the following:

Qualifying Your Service Dog

The ATPDR define a service dog as a dog that:

Has been individually trained by an organization or person specializing in service dog training; and
Performs a task to assist a person with a disability with a need related to their disability.

In order to establish that a dog is a service dog for purposes of the ATPDR, we require customers to provide the following:

an identification card or other document issued by an organization or person specializing in service dog training that identifies both the person with a disability and their service dog; and
in the case of any service dog that is not a guide dog, an attestation by that organization or person specializing in service dog training that:
- the service dog has been individually trained by that organization or person to perform a task or tasks to assist the person with a disability with a need related to their disability;
- a clear description of the task(s) the dog has been individually trained to perform to assist the person with their disability-related need(s);
- the credentials of the trainer(s), including any qualifications, certifications and affiliations with professional service dog organizations, and a clear description of the specific content of the training program(s) completed by the dog, including the duration of the program, the goals to be achieved by the dog, the involvement of the handler, the assessment methods used and the assessment results achieved by the dog and its handler.

We will also require you to provide your service dog’s breed, dimensions, and weight. This is to assess whether your service dog will fit comfortably at your feet.

Additional Adjacent Seating

If, because of the size of the service dog, your seat does not provide sufficient floor space for the service dog to lie down at your feet in a manner that ensures the safety and well-being of you and your dog, we will provide you with any adjacent seat needed to give your service dog sufficient floor space.

On domestic flights, additional floor space, when required, will be provided at no extra charge.

On flights to or from other countries (transborder and international flights), you will need to purchase an additional seat to gain additional floor space.

If you would like to travel with your dog but it doesn't meet the requirements of a service dog, please refer to the following articles:

Conditions of Travel

Keep your dog under your control at all times. It must be harnessed, on a leash, or tethered while not in a kennel.
Avoid disruptive behaviours such as: Barking, growling, or biting; Jumping on people; Urinating or defecating in unapproved areas; Causing significant disruption
Failure to meet these standards may result in denial of boarding or removal from the flight
You are responsible for ensuring your Service Dog meets all travel requirements for the destination.
You can find designated areas at airports for your service dog to relieve itself before boarding and after arrival.
We will allow feeding and watering during travel.
Customers travelling with a service dog and an in-lap infant must submit a Medical Accommodation Form to request additional seating.

Travel Requirements

Make sure you have all the proper documents before you go.

When you arrive in another country, province, state, territory or region, government veterinary officials may inspect your pet, and inspection fees could apply.

A local veterinary health certificate from your vet is essential, but it might not be enough. Some destinations require government-approved health certificates or other documents. To avoid delays, check with the consulate or embassy of your destination well before you travel.

Flair follows the animal entry and exit requirements in the IATA Travel Information Manual. For more details, visit the IATA Travel Centre website for destination-specific pet requirements.

Flights to/from the United States

The Air Carrier Access Act and the DOT, not the ADA, protects the rights of people with disabilities in air travel.

The DOT is clear: "You are not permitted to require documentation from passengers with disabilities traveling with service animals beyond the completion of the forms identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section except to comply with requirements on transport of animals by a Federal agency, a U.S. territory or a foreign jurisdiction."

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is considered a foreign jurisdiction for U.S. travel. This means that all CTA requirements under the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR) continue to apply on flights to and from the United States.

Service dogs are welcome to travel on flights to the U.S. as long as they meet the additional required criteria. Please review the following regulations before your flight to ensure a smooth journey.

Be at least six months old,
Have a microchip for rabies verification, and
Have all required documentation completed:
- U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form
- U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation Form
- CDC Dog Import Form—Dog Importers must be able to show the receipt of the CDC Dog Import Form to airline and CBP officials on request. The CDC Dog Import Form can be used for multiple entries and is valid for 6 months from the date of issuance.
Effective August 1, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new entry requirements for dogs entering the U.S. Visit the CDC website for more information.

Dog Size Reference Guide

Special Arrangements
Unimpeded floor space will be provided for service dogs to ensure comfort and safety. Additional seating may be arranged for larger dogs on flights within Canada at no extra cost.

Dog Size	Weight	Standing Dimensions
Small	7–11 kg (15–25 lbs)	Length: 45.72–55.88 cm (18–22 in) Height: 20.32–40.64 cm (8–16 in) Width: 12.7–17.78 cm (5–7 in)
Medium	12–25 kg (26–55 lbs)	Length: 58.42–86.36 cm (23–34 in) Height: 38.1–53.34 cm (15–21 in) Width: 15.24–20.32 cm (6–8 in)
Large	26–39 kg (57–85 lbs)	Length: 88.9–101.6 cm (35–40 in) Height: 53.34–66.04 cm (21–26 in) Width: 17.78–21.59 cm (7–8.5 in)
Extra Large	40–46 kg (88–100 lbs)	Length: 104.14–116.84 cm (41–46 in) Height: 63.5–73.66 cm (25–29 in) Width: 20.32–25.4 cm (8–10 in)

How to Request a Service Dog

If you are travelling with a Service Dog, you will need to email the following to Flair Accessibility Services at accessibility@flyflair.com by at least 48 hours before departure:

Service/Emotional Support Dog Form
Identification card or other document issued by an organization or person specializing in service dog training that identifies both the person with a disability and their service dog; and
Attestation by that organization or person specializing in service dog training that (non-guide dogs only):
- the service dog has been individually trained by that organization or person to perform a task or tasks to assist the person with a disability with a need related to their disability;
- a clear description of the task(s) the dog has been individually trained to perform to assist the person with their disability-related need(s);
- the credentials of the trainer(s), including any qualifications, certifications and affiliations with professional service dog organizations, and a clear description of the specific content of the training program(s) completed by the dog, including the duration of the program, the goals to be achieved by the dog, the involvement of the handler, the assessment methods used and the assessment results achieved by the dog and its handler.

*A customer who wants to travel with a service dog is required to provide us with advance notice. This is a minimum 48 hours notice in advance of departure but it can be as much as 96 hours if we require information or documentation relating to your service dog.

If a customer with a disability gives advance notice but the information or documents provided are insufficient or the notice period includes a day that is a weekend day or holiday, we may not be able to complete our assessment of your request. In these cases, we may not be able to provide the requested service. For this reason, it is important that customers provide the required documents or information and make every effort to give advance notice that includes two full business days.

We will make a reasonable effort to transport a service dog even if the customer does not provide advance notice or the information or documents that are requested by the carrier. Reasonable efforts may mean, for example, asking another passenger to move to a different seat in order that a person and their service dog can occupy adjacent seats.