The real difference isn't hold against cabin. It's three separate arrangements that differ in who books, what has to be true before the option even exists, and who has custody of him at each stage.
| Manifested cargo | Accompanied or excess baggage | In-cabin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your pet travels as air freight, in the hold, on a booking made for the animal rather than for you. | Your pet travels as excess baggage on your own booking, on the flight you are on. | Your pet travels in the cabin, in a carrier, with a person. |
| Who books | Handled as part of the move, along with the documentation, the paperwork, the customs clearance and the delivery at destination. | The airline booking is made by you directly. IKAN Lola tells you which airlines are accepting pets as excess baggage and, wherever possible, connects you with the airline's booking desk, then handles everything else. | Where the airline and the route allow it. We will tell you plainly whether this mode is available for your animal rather than whether it is cheapest. |
| Who's with him | Our people accompany your pet on the surface journeys by road, at origin up to the flight handover, and at destination after arrival. | This is the only mode where someone is with your pet door to door. | A person is with the animal for the whole flight because the pet is in the cabin with them. |
| What decides it | The airline has to accept the animal on the route. Snub-nosed breeds and carrier-specific temperature embargoes can narrow the airline list and the calendar at the same time. | Two separate yeses are needed: the airline has to accept the pet as excess baggage, and the destination country or city has to accept pets as excess baggage. IKAN Lola can determine both before you book anything. | Available on some routes and some airlines only. The airline's own carrier rules decide it, and many routes do not offer it at all. |
Manifested cargo
He flies as air freight, in the hold, on a booking made for him. Our people are with him on the road and at the airport up to the handover, and again after he lands. In between, he's in the airline's care.
Accompanied or excess baggage
He flies on your booking, on your flight. It needs two yeses: the airline has to accept pets as excess baggage, and so does the country or city you're flying to. We find out both before you book anything.
In the cabin
He travels in a carrier, in the cabin, with a person. It's only where the airline and the route allow it, and the airline's own carrier rules decide. It's the only way a person is with him for the whole flight.
Charter, and a founder on the flight
Chartered flights are a separate premium service and the one exception to no in-flight accompaniment. On some routes a founder flies with them: the same flight, and the airport handling at both ends done personally. More about that.
Source: IKAN Lola's published answers on accompaniment, excess baggage and chartered flights. We confirm the options for your route and date before anything is booked.