A service dog is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with disability. Based on the service dog type and the flight route, China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines accept trained service dogs to accompany passenger with a disability at no charge in the cabin on international operating flights. Passengers traveling with a service dog must contact our customer service hotline or local offices at least 48 hours before flight departure. Acceptance rules and required documents are listed below for your preparation:
Service Dog
Application Conditions
The following conditions must be fully satisfied to apply for a service dog:
- International flights operated by China Airlines or Mandarin Airlines.
- Dog only.
- Must be trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with disability or medical assistance.
- Must be trained to behave properly in public and follow instructions.
- Must be vaccinated from rabies.
- In good health, free of fleas, ticks, and other diseases that would endanger people or public health.
- Any other dogs that do not qualify as service dogs must travel as a pet and need to be transported as checked baggage with additional charge.
Service Dog Type
- Medical Assistance:
For trained service dogs such as guide dogs, hearing dogs, or medical assistance dogs which provide assistance to individual with visual, hearing, or other physical disability.
- Psychiatric Assistance:
For trained service dogs that are trained to assist their handler with disability including sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. (Including psychiatric service dog)
Applicable Routes and Required Documents
| Applicable Routes | Eligibility for Cabin Travel | Required Documents |
| Flights to/ from United States include Guam and Hawaii, and the itinerary travelling to and from the United States with extended CI/AE transit segment via Taiwan |
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| All itinerary except flights to/ from United States |
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Notice
- Dog Behavior:
- The service dog must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times.
- China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines reserve the right to refuse carriage or to claim for any loss and damage caused by disruptive behavior of the service dog.
- Seating Arrangement:
- For safety reasons, passengers travelling with service dogs are not allowed to seat in the exit row or block the aisle.
- Should be able to fit on the lap or within the foot space of the passenger on the aircraft, stay in the kennel is not necessary.
- In the following situations, an additional seat must be purchased for the service dog. However, the dog must remain in the space under the front seat and shall not be placed on the seat:
- Travelling in Business Class with a service dog (except for the service dog can be fit on the passenger's lap at all times)
- The service dog not able to fit in the foot space.
- Other Considerations:
- Passengers are obliged to meet the relevant animal transit and entry requirements and obtain all the necessary documents for service dogs.
- Emotional support animals are considered pets and must be transported as checked baggage at an additional cost. You can find out more about our Pet Policy here.
- In order to prevent abuse of the Service, China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines would only accept the applications for the same service dog under the same passenger's booking record.
- Please be reminded that providing forged or false service dog training certificates constitutes fraud. To maintain cabin safety, boarding will be denied if such documents are verified as false.
The above rules are only applicable to itineraries that involve pure international CI/AE operating flights. Different rules from other airlines may apply if a code-share flight or other carriers are involved in the full itinerary.
