Flying with a Cat on Turkish Airlines: A Truly Pet-Friendly Experience
When we were offered the chance to fly with Turkish Airlines this fall, I knew that I couldn’t pass up the offer. The European airline has been crowned the best airline in Europe and is known to connect the world by having the most non-stop flights from a single airport compared to any other airline in the world. Even more importantly, Turkey is known to love cats and so of course we heard the rumours that their flag carrier was also very pet-friendly. I was surprised to find that my own expectations were met and then exceeded as the quality of service and overall pet-friendliness that Turkish Airlines provided was on another level from previous flights we’d taken.
As you continue to read, I do want to disclose that this blog post was sponsored by Turkish Airlines, but everything written is my own opinion and the airline has had no input on what is written here. I also had the the fortune of flying in Business Class, so there may be some differences for those who are looking to fly with a pet in Economy.
Check-In Process with a Cat
Our check-in process was a breeze, although I'll admit it tends to be much easier when you're flying business class and in contact with the airline prior to departure. As is standard for most flights, we had to go to a physical counter due to having a cat with us. Traveling with a pet means that you cannot check-in early or online, so you need to ensure you’re at the airport at a reasonable time. The check-in process typically includes having someone from the airline inspect your cat and then waiting to have your pet documents scanned and verified. Often airlines will weigh your cat and carrier, but occasionally they'll skip this step on the basis that the carrier appears to be the right size. Truth be told, Reinhardt was a bit over the weight limit, but the lady at the counter said it would be alright and jokingly suggested we feed him a few less treats before his next flight.
Once your pet documents have been verified and your pet is in the green to fly, you’ll usually receive something that shows you are travelling with a pet. We found this was different depending on the airport, but some of the things we received included a special pet-friendly tag, a baggage strap saying our pet had been approved for travel, and a large sticker on the carrier that announced a live animal was inside.
The check-in process was even easier when we were departing from Istanbul because the airport has its own pet-friendly check-in counters which we’ll talk about further down below.
Pet-Friendly Services at the Istanbul Airport
Even upon landing at Istanbul Airport (IST) we were impressed to see that there were pet rooms and relief stations just outside of security. Typically these areas cater to dogs and certainly the facilities would be best appreciated by canine companions, but we appreciated that cats were also put into consideration and even included in the cute wall art. Leashed pets are also allowed to roam the airport which we’ve found isn't always the case even for European airports.
The ultimate pet-friendly gesture provided by Turkish Airlines is there special pet check-in counter that caters to those travelling with pets. The staff members were always very welcoming and it was nice that the counter was off to the side as that meant Reinhardt could enjoy being somewhere that was a bit quieter while we got our booking sorted out.
Do note that when traveling with a pet you may also face additional restrictions. For example, there is also a special counter for those flying Business, but when you’re traveling with a pet you don’t get access to this counter as they’ll request you go through the designated pet check-in. There may also be instances where you have to visit two check-in counters as was the case for us when flying back to Canada as there was a designated counter for Canadian luggage and the pet check-in counter was unable to take our bags for whatever reason.
Overall, I was very pleased with how staff at this airport treated people travelling with pets and appreciated the extra measures put into place to ensure furry and feathered family members could travel more comfortably. Ideally, other major airports around the world could implement similar features in the future. I’m also still waiting for the day that pet owners get a priority line up for customs upon arriving since I find post-flight is when pets can get the most antsy after sitting in a carrier for several hours.
Turkish Airlines Lounge
We were super fortunate for our first three flights with Turkish Airlines as none of our flights were delayed, but our luck ran out on the day we were returning home. Honestly, I didn’t mind too much as I never want to go back home anyways and this gave us the perfect opportunity to check out the Turkish Airlines Lounge. There are two international lounges at the Istanbul Airport, one for those with Business Class tickets and one for the frequent flyers Smiles & Miles members. Both lounges are pet-friendly, although there are signs requesting that pets stay within their carriers while in the hallway spaces. While seated, I was able to open Reinhardt’s carrier and he enjoyed some people watching before taking his pre-flight nap.
We had access to the Business lounge and I can easily say it was the best lounge I’ve been to yet. Fitted with tons of seating options, there was an abundance of drink and food choices from freshly made pastas and flatbreads, a selection of grilled meats, crisp salads and fruits, and variety of international desserts. I took particular pleasure in the popcorn machine that was hidden away in the kid’s section of the lounge. The lounge also had entertainment opportunities including a museum, a children’s playground, computer area, cinema, flight simulator, and an indoor golfing area.
Flying Internationally with a Cat in Turkish Airlines’ Business Class
My expectations of the plane itself were definitely surpassed, although I think this was in part due to my extra fortune in securing a bassinet seat which was at the front of the plane and came with additional space that made it much easier to attend to Reinhardt’s needs throughout the flight without having to compromise my own space. If he could help write this blog, he would definitely make note that the extra snacks I snuck him through his carrier were most appreciated.
During the flight itself, we had a period where Reinhardt seemed to be particularly stressed. I wasn't sure what to do, but was pleasantly surprised when one of the flight attendants said that I could briefly take him out of the carrier to calm him down in my lap. Most, if not all, airlines have rules against removing pets from carriers while in the air, but we've found that with each airline there are always some pet-loving cabin crew who recognize the difficulties in pet travel and will momentarily turn a blind eye to some rule breaking.
One rule that can’t be broken is where you are seated: as a safety precaution, people travelling with pets must book window seats as this reduces the chance of blocking other passengers in the event of an emergency. This is pretty standard among airlines and doesn’t change regardless of if you are flying Economy or Business.
We flew internationally on one of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliners which also meant we were seated in the layout for Business Class which follows a 1-2-1 design (for shorter flights within Europe, the plane design was a bit different and the seats were laid out in a 2-3-2 design and provided slightly less privacy). The seats themselves were very comfortable and had a lie-flat option which was much needed for the long flight. The seats were also fitted with special bedding by the cabin crew partway through the flight in preparation for sleep and this made for an even more comfortable experience. Along with a comfortable seat and tons of legroom, my Business Class ticket unlocked me 1TB of free WiFi access throughout the flight, and I was surprised to discover that the internet was fast enough to stream entire episodes off of Netflix.
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Ultimately, if you're looking for a pet-friendly experience, then you don't have to think twice when booking with Turkish Airlines. Their new pet portal makes for simple booking while every crew member we encountered was genuinely excited to see a travel cat and went above and beyond to ensure Reinhardt was comfortable—You know you're in good hands when the staff members see your pet and then excitedly pull you aside to show you photos of their own furry friends back home!
And now, here is the closing word from Reinhardt: BN MMMMMMMMMM
