Here is our experience: of course, rules are different if he flies alone or with a accompanist. Cookie came here alone, and what we had to do is:

• Health certificate in Italian and English, signed by a vet registered with the federal gov. (which allows them to sign health certificates for international travel).
• Rabies certificate (it says that Cookie has had her rabies shot).
• It had to be sent to the United States Department of Agriculture for an export stamp. This document cannot be older than 10 days from the shipping date.
• The the Italian Consolate had to "authenticate" or notorize the documents.
• Buy an approved airline crate.
• Make reservations for her plane trip. She had to be there 4 hours before her flight went out. (We also had to wait the temperature to raise over 50 F degrees).
• I payed the customs fee by postal account.
• I took the travel documents from Cargo's office.
• I went to the vet office with those docs + the receipt of the customs fee. They gave us the Import Certificate.
• The vet checked Cookie.
• I took all those papers to the Customs. They give us the Customs Bill.
• I took all those papers to the Import Office and... took Cookie!

Once again I have to thank Cathy who helped me with all this paperworks!

Here is an excerpt from IATA rules, about pets:

• the transport of small size pets with an accompanist is allowed with some conditions, specified in the Merchandise Dealing Handbook. Generally, animals are accepted as registered baggage (in the baggage room); however, if the passenger requires, it's exceptionaly allowed the transport of animals in the compartment, at condition that all the rules about this are followed:
• for it you must pay an additional fee
• for it the booking is compulsory, and the passenger must feed the animal during the travel
• if many animals of the same kind are set in the same container, they can't be more then 5 and can't weight more then 8 Kg (container included)
• it's allowed only one container for each section compartment, exception must be asked to FCOOZAZ (OVLFCO)
• containers cannot be greater then: cm 46*25*31
• the animal, the container and the food cannot weight more then 10 Kg
• the animal cannot pong
• the passenger must take care of the animal during the travel
• the animal must stay in the container during the travel
• if not all these rules are followed, or if the animal bothers the other passengers, the Commander can tranfer it to the baggage room or leave it at the first port
• Some airlines don't allow animals in the compartment
• Check also:
• IATA - Live Animals Regulations
• TIM - Travel Information Manual
• TACT - The Aircargo Tariff
• if the animal, the container and the food weight over 10 Kg, they must be put in the baggage room. For ATR 42 flights, animals can't be transported in the baggage room
• dogs guiding blind or deaf people are transported for free, at condition that the illness is proved by a medical certificate. They don't need container, but leash and muzzle
• Alitalia Airlines makes available two kinds of containers, if you haven't got one:
• big one (for baggage room) cm 55*35*40
• small one (for compartment) cm 47*25*32

About the container, a good choice can be a "Sherpa" Bag. In the sherpapet site, you can also find many useful hints.

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