Bringing a cat to Siem Reap from the UK

My boyfriend and I recently moved to Siem Reap from the UK with our pet cat. I would like to share our experience in bringing a cat to Cambodia.  Please note that we flew with Vietnamese Airlines from London Gatwick to Siem Reap via Ho Chi Minh City, therefore I cannot comment on the process for other airlines, any other airport or any other type of pet.

The cat had to have a micro chip, rabies shot (at least 30 days before travelling), health certificate (within 10 days of travelling) and a pet passport. We were told that his cat carrier had to be one that was IATA approved i.e. big enough for him to stand up in and long enough to lie down in, however no-one actually examined the carrier.

After we booked our flights, we had to inform Vietnamese Airlines by email  that we were travelling with a cat. This will need to be done at least one week before your travel date. When you email the airline, you must request that they book your cat all the way through to Siem Reap (this is referred to as AVIH).

It is very important that when you book your flight you make sure that your connecting flight from Ho Chi Minh City is operated by Vietnamese Airlines and not by Cambodia Angkor Air (K6), as Cambodia Angkor Air do not transport pets!

When we got to Gatwick we had to take our cat to the Vietnamese airline check in desk in the airport itself. This is the same place where you check your luggage in (other airlines may require you to go directly to the airport Animal Reception Centre but with Vietnamese airlines we had to go to the check in desk). We didn't have to stand in the check in queue with all the other passengers, but we stood on the side by the customer help desk where someone from Vietnamese Airlines was there to sort everything out for us. Note that the cat does not travel as cargo but goes in the hold with the luggage.

Cost - anything up to 7kg (cat plus carrier) was $175, which was £110. We paid at the desk when we checked him in.

After he was checked in someone from Swiss Air came to carry him downstairs to take him through customs. You can go with him just to make sure he gets through customs ok.

When we arrived at siem reap airport, our cat was waiting at the luggage carousel (next to it and not on it!!!). There was no security for him to go through, nobody asked if it was our cat, there was no paperwork and no checks. It was totally hassle free. We just picked him up and walked out the airport.

Tips:

- Make sure you have all the correct paperwork at Gatwick
- When he is checked in at Gatwick, make sure the label on his box states your destination (ie REP)
- Put some ice in his water bowl so that it will melt over time.
- If anyone at Gatwick asks you how much water is in the bowl, tell them it has only 100ml (no more!!).