Frequently asked questions

Our published shared-charter seats connect Dubai and Mumbai in both directions. Each seat is for one journey, so you can book Dubai to Mumbai or Mumbai to Dubai without purchasing a return. If you need both legs, choose and book each available flight separately; check the Scheduled Flights page for current dates.

US$8,450 buys one passenger seat on a one-way shared private charter. Your permitted pet allocation, up to 30 kg of checked baggage in no more than two suitcases, one small personal item, planned vegetarian or vegan catering and the arranged private-terminal experience are included. Optional Documentation Support costs extra; veterinary care, tests and ground transport are separate.

Yes. You may book a passenger seat even if you are not bringing an animal. You will share the cabin with other travellers and their dogs or cats, so please consider that when deciding if the flight is right for you.

One seat includes one dog or cat, including a large pet. Two pets may share one passenger allocation only when their combined weight is 25 kg or less. Tell us about both pets in your booking so their space, the cabin plan and their travel documents can be prepared.

Buddy Air arranges and coordinates the shared-charter service; a licensed third-party aviation operator flies it. The operator controls the aircraft, crew and flight operations, and the captain makes the final decisions on safety. We will identify the assigned operator in your preflight information.

We plan around an aircraft suited to the number of passengers, pets and baggage, typically a Legacy 600 or 650 class business jet or a comparable aircraft. The specific aircraft may change for operational reasons. Your Flight Brief will confirm the details available before travel.

A published date is open for booking, but the linked shared-charter flights also need enough bookings and an operational review before the service is confirmed. We communicate the flight decision no later than 30 days before departure. Paying for your seat and confirming that the aircraft will operate are two separate milestones.

If Buddy Air cannot confirm the linked service because the required booking level is not reached, we will let affected passengers know by the flight confirmation deadline. You may choose a full refund or an available alternative Buddy Air flight. Refunds normally take 7 to 10 working days once the amount and payment details are verified.

You can join that flight's waitlist. Tell us how many passenger seats and pets you need so we can consider a suitable opening if one appears. A waitlist request does not reserve a seat or create a payment obligation; we contact you if there is an opportunity.

Your dog or cat flies in the passenger cabin with you throughout the journey. Dogs travel without a crate, wearing a secure harness and short lead; cats remain in a secure soft-sided carrier. The crew will explain where each pet should settle during takeoff, landing and the rest of the flight.

Yes. Large dogs are part of the reason Buddy Air exists, and there is no 25 kg limit on a single dog. That number applies only when two pets accompany one passenger. Give us your dog's measurements and weight when booking so we can arrange a comfortable place in the cabin.

Dogs and cats are part of our regular shared-cabin service. If you hope to travel with another animal, write to us before making a booking so we can check the animal's destination rules and whether the operating carrier could accommodate it. We will confirm any possible arrangement in writing.

Of course. You can select Mixed Breed or Other / Not Sure in the booking form if you do not know your dog's ancestry. We do not impose a blanket breed ban, though the destination may have rules for particular types of dogs; we check the applicable route with you rather than judging a pet by a label alone.

Cats are welcome in the cabin with their people. Bring a secure, ventilated soft-sided carrier that gives your cat room to rest comfortably, and keep your cat inside it during the journey unless the crew directs otherwise. We will confirm the carrier dimensions and placement once the aircraft is assigned.

Flat-faced dogs and cats can be considered for cabin travel. Please tell us about any breathing difficulty or previous travel problem, and speak to your vet about the journey so we can plan sensibly with the operator. Keep your pet cool and comfortable, and do not give sedatives unless your vet specifically advises them.

Often, yes. Describe what unsettles your dog, what helps them settle and any history of biting when you book. We can plan the introductions, seating and boarding order with the operator; a muzzle may be requested where needed. If a pet presents a serious safety risk on the day, the captain may refuse boarding.

For Mumbai to Dubai, we currently require a pet to be at least 15 weeks old, in line with the route's vaccination and import timing. For Dubai to Mumbai, our current minimum is three months. A pet may need to be older if the applicable vaccination, waiting-period or entry rules require it; check the travel date with us before booking a young pet.

A pet must fly with a responsible human passenger; we do not offer pet-only transport or a Buddy Air pet escort. If someone else will accompany your pet, tell us before booking. We will help you identify any owner authorisation and route documents needed for that person to travel with the pet.

Your paid seat is for the human traveller. We arrange a place for your dog beside you, while cats stay in their carriers; a smaller dog may be able to rest on your lap if the cabin arrangement permits. Share any space concerns when booking so we can plan before boarding.

Have a vet assess your pet before deciding to travel, and tell Buddy Air as soon as their condition changes. Share the vet's assessment and any medication plan so the operator can review whether travel remains appropriate. If your pet cannot travel, contact us before departure about cancelling or changing your booking; the usual seat-resale and change terms apply unless Buddy Air confirms a different remedy in writing.

Tell the crew immediately. They can help you keep your pet safe and alert the captain, who decides what operational action is possible, including whether a diversion is warranted. There may be no veterinarian or pet medicine onboard, so bring any prescribed medication and a brief medical history; urgent veterinary care can be arranged after landing.

A dog or cat in the earlier stages of pregnancy may be considered after a vet confirms the stage and suitability for travel and the operator accepts the plan in writing. We do not carry pets in the final third of pregnancy, in labour or shortly after giving birth. Tell us if pregnancy is known or suspected before booking; a general fit-to-fly note alone does not settle the question.

Put your health first and seek medical advice. Let Buddy Air know in writing as soon as you know you cannot travel; a medical note does not automatically make the fare refundable. We will review your options under the Booking Conditions: a passenger cancellation is refundable only if your seat is resold, and a change of date also depends on resale and availability.

Tell the crew immediately. They will follow the operating carrier's procedures, arrange available assistance and alert the captain, who decides whether a change to the flight is needed. Onboard care is limited; bring any medication you ordinarily need in your small personal item and tell us before travel about assistance needs we should plan for.

As a general guide, give a light portion of your pet's usual food early in the morning, around five hours before departure, and avoid a large meal closer to the flight. That means roughly 6 a.m. for an 11 a.m. takeoff; you need not leave your pet without food since the previous evening. Offer water as needed right up to travel and plan a toilet break before boarding. Ask your vet for an individual plan if your pet is very young, has a sensitive stomach, takes medicine with food or has a medical condition.

Only follow a veterinarian's specific advice for your pet. Sedatives can affect breathing, balance and temperature control, so do not try a new calming medicine on travel day or give an unprescribed dose. Tell us and the operator about prescribed medication that may affect your pet's behaviour or care in flight.

Bring a modest amount of familiar treats and offer water as needed. A full meal during a short flight is generally best avoided unless your vet has advised a particular feeding schedule; let us know about that schedule before travel. Check with the crew and the other pet parent before offering treats near someone else's animal.

A familiar soft blanket or small toy can make an unfamiliar cabin feel more comfortable. Dogs need a well-fitting harness, short lead and suitable muzzle available if the crew asks for it; a crate is not normally needed. Cats need their secure soft-sided carrier. Bring any prescribed medication, copies of the pet's records and supplies for an unexpected accident.

Bring a muzzle that fits your dog comfortably and that they have practised wearing before travel. A basket style usually leaves space to pant, but ask your vet about fit if your dog is short-nosed or has breathing trouble. The crew may ask you to use it in a specific situation; it is not ordinarily worn for the entire flight.

Start with your pet's microchip record, current vaccination history and your route and travel dates. Depending on direction and the pet's history, you may also need an official veterinary certificate, import permit, AQCS papers, parasite treatment or test results. Begin early: an apparently small mismatch in a name, microchip number or date can delay official applications.

India treats a pet returning with prior Indian records, a qualifying transfer of residence and some other visits differently. Depending on your circumstances you may need a DGFT licence as well as the advance AQCS no-objection process. Share your pet's previous travel records, your residence and who will accompany the pet early; our documentation team can help identify the category to confirm with AQCS before departure.

The UAE generally requires an advance pet import permit, matching microchip and vaccination records, and an official health certificate from the departure country. Testing and parasite-treatment requirements depend on the pet's origin and current rules. On the India side, plan the AQCS export appointment and certificate within the relevant validity window. Our Pet Travel page sets out both sides of this journey in more detail.

Yes. Our optional Documentation Support team reviews your records, prepares and coordinates applications at both ends of the booked one-way Mumbai–Dubai route, submits applications where permitted and helps obtain the required official import and export certificates. You provide records and attend any vet or authority appointment that must be done with your pet; the issuing authorities decide whether to approve each application.

The optional service costs AED 2,500 per pet, per one-way journey, in addition to the seat fare. It covers the documentation work and the applicable government application and certificate charges for that booked route. If you fly the opposite direction later, that is a separate journey and needs its own paperwork and service arrangement.

You pay your vet directly for appointments and health certificates, plus microchipping, vaccinations, blood collection, rabies titre or other tests, laboratory reports, sample shipping and your travel to appointments. You also provide the records and attend any inspection required of you and your pet. Applicable government application and certificate fees for the chosen route are included only when you purchase Documentation Support.

Yes. Documentation Support is optional. You can use the official AQCS and UAE authority guidance linked on our Pet Travel page, arrange your own appointments and applications, and supply the documents requested for your booking. Please check current requirements directly with the authorities, since approval and timing are specific to the pet and journey.

A pet arriving in Dubai with the required papers is normally processed for release rather than routine quarantine. In Mumbai, AQCS examines the arriving pet and may issue provisional clearance, with observation or quarantine if it has concerns about the records or the animal's condition. The arrival authority, rather than Buddy Air, decides the outcome for each pet.

Possibly. A later flight or third country can have its own permits, testing windows and accepted laboratories, even if the Mumbai–Dubai documents are complete. Tell us your entire route early and confirm the onward rules with the relevant authority. Our AED 2,500 Documentation Support covers the booked Mumbai–Dubai or Dubai–Mumbai leg, not an additional destination.

Bring only what the destination's current food-import rules permit. Meat or dairy ingredients, raw food and even packaged pet food can be restricted at the border, so check before travelling rather than assume a small quantity will pass. It may be easier to arrange your pet's familiar approved food at your destination in advance.

Plan for the reporting time in your Flight Brief; our current planning guide is 90 minutes before takeoff. This gives time for passenger and pet checks, baggage, document review and a calm introduction between pets before boarding. The final reporting time and terminal are specific to your flight.

We aim to arrange private aviation terminal handling where the assigned airport and operator permit it. We will tell you the actual departure and arrival locations in the Flight Brief; do not assume that the main commercial terminal is the right place to report.

Your Flight Brief will give you the confirmed reporting place and time, operator details and practical travel instructions. Once the flight is confirmed, we also hope to arrange an optional online meeting so passengers and pets can meet beforehand when schedules permit. We will send an invitation only if that meeting is arranged.

Tell us what would make you and your pet comfortable. We plan positions around space, pet behaviour and other passengers, and will try to accommodate preferences where possible. The plan can change after the pets meet or if the aircraft changes; the crew will direct seating on the day.

Dogs remain beside their people on short leads, kept clear of the aisle and emergency access. You can comfort your dog where they settle, and the crew will explain any changes needed during takeoff, landing or turbulence. Free roaming is not part of this shared-cabin service.

Tell us early if your pet needs distance from other animals. We can adjust introductions, boarding order or assigned places and ask for a muzzle where appropriate. If the issue arises after takeoff, alert the crew instead of moving pets yourself; the captain has the final say if safety is affected.

Give your dog a chance to toilet before entering the terminal or boarding, as directed locally. There is no dedicated dog-relief area onboard; absorbent pads are available for unexpected accidents. You may bring a compact litter tray for a cat and should ask the crew where it can be used and clean up straight away.

A vegetarian or vegan onboard meal and refreshments are planned in the seat fare. Tell us about an allergy or dietary request at least seven days before departure so we can check with the caterer. We will explain what can be arranged, but cannot guarantee that every ingredient or preparation environment will meet a specific requirement.

Wi-Fi and built-in entertainment depend on the aircraft and should not be assumed. Download anything you want to watch or work on before leaving home, and bring headphones. The cabin is shared with families and pets, so please keep sound and lighting considerate.

Plan for a comfortable seated journey rather than a guaranteed flat bed. Cabin seating and recline vary with the aircraft assigned to the flight, and we will share its particulars when confirmed.

Each passenger seat allows 30 kg of checked baggage in no more than two suitcases, plus one small personal item such as a handbag or laptop bag. The cabin has no standard overhead storage for rollers or large carry-ons. Extra or oversized baggage cannot be added, even for an additional fee, so plan around the included allowance.

Choose a date on Scheduled Flights and complete the booking form with each passenger's and pet's details, travel declarations and acceptance of the Booking Conditions. You do not have to upload every final pet certificate at that first step. We issue a booking reference and, for a standard request, email an invoice and bank-transfer instructions; unusual circumstances may be reviewed first.

No. You can submit a seat request as a guest. You may create a Buddy Air account later to keep your booking information, invoices, pet details, document uploads and travel checklist in one place; contact us if a guest booking needs to be linked securely to your account.

We send the payable amount and bank-transfer details on your invoice. Payment is normally due within three UAE business days, in the USD or AED amount shown there. Your seat is secured only after the full amount clears and we send written Booking Confirmation. If any bank details unexpectedly change, verify them using Buddy Air's published email address before transferring money.

Yes. You can select USD or AED during booking. When an AED invoice is created, we calculate and fix the AED amount for that invoice's payment window; the website's other currency estimates are only guides. Follow the exact amount and currency shown on your invoice.

Not yet. An invoice sets out the payment request. Your Booking Confirmation comes after cleared payment and secures your passenger seat; Flight Confirmation is a separate notice that the linked charter service has met its booking requirement and passed operational review. A paid seat can therefore be confirmed before the flight itself is confirmed.

Yes. Give us the correct company or employer billing details when booking, ideally before the invoice is issued. If you need a particular reference for reimbursement, tell us before you pay so the team can check what can be included.

Children must be at least eight years old. Anyone under 18 travels with an adult on the same flight, and every traveller needs a paid passenger seat. Please tell us about any minor in the booking so the team can check the required travel consent and operator arrangements.

Tell us in writing as early as possible. A passenger cancellation is eligible for a refund only if Buddy Air actually resells that seat; advance notice alone does not make it refundable. Once resale and the refundable amount under the Booking Conditions are confirmed, processing normally takes 7 to 10 working days.

Ask us in writing before your departure. Moving a paid booking depends on your original seat being resold, an available place on the new flight and any fare difference. We will confirm in writing if a new date can be arranged; a request by itself does not hold a second seat.

You can request a passenger substitution in writing at least seven days before departure; your pet may stay on the booking. The replacement must be able to travel with and care for the pet and have the appropriate travel and owner authorisations. The change takes effect only after Buddy Air confirms it; requests inside seven days are normally declined.

Please follow the reporting time in your Flight Brief and tell us immediately if you are delayed. A missed check-in or flight is a no-show, and the advance-cancellation resale rule does not apply after a no-show. Your seat is not held past the operator's boarding cutoff and no automatic refund or transfer is due.

The captain can decline carriage where a pet creates a serious safety concern, or travel may be prevented by missing documents or an authority's decision. Tell us early about any change in health, behaviour or paperwork so there is time to assess options. A refusal at boarding does not ordinarily qualify for the advance-cancellation resale rule; the Booking Conditions govern the particular circumstances.

If we cannot confirm a service because the booking requirement is not met, you may select a full refund or an available alternative Buddy Air flight. For a significant change after confirmation, we will notify affected passengers and explain the options under the applicable Booking Conditions. A change of terminal, aircraft or schedule can sometimes be required by the operating carrier.

Insurance is not included in your seat. Before buying a policy, ask the insurer to confirm in writing whether a shared private-charter seat, passenger illness, cancellation, missed departure and any pet-related costs are covered. Do not assume a policy written for ordinary scheduled airline tickets will reimburse this fare; the insurer's wording controls its decision.

Sign in to My Account to see information linked to your profile, including booking requests, invoices, pet details and travel checklist items. A guest may create an account after booking and ask the team to connect the existing booking securely. You can also keep your booking reference handy when contacting us.

Yes. Our online AI Concierge is available 24/7 for general questions about the service and published information. It cannot issue travel permits, diagnose a pet or confirm an individual booking or flight on its own. For a personal case that needs review, ask the team to follow up through the contact options on the site.

Ground transport and accommodation are not part of the seat fare. Where we have reliable options, we can share suggestions, but you book and pay the provider directly. Please check a hotel's current pet rules, fees and size limits with the property before paying.

Yes. Tell us your proposed route and dates and how many people and pets would travel. We can explore a separate aircraft charter with licensed partners; its aircraft, price, availability and terms will be quoted for that request rather than taken from the shared-seat fare.