Parrot in College? Travel?

[MChiper]

Hi all,
I posted before regarding getting a bird for college; I was given very good advice to rather wait until I was in college or after graduation - so I am currently still bird-free.
I know more about my schedule and the college policy on pets, etc. - it's very pet friendly and we may bring trained animals into lectures (studying veterinary medicine).
The biggest, and most prominent obstacle is travel... my family home is in Ireland, but I study abroad (Poland). As much as I'd like to get a feathery friend, I'd not be wanting to leave him/her behind every time I come home. If this issue can't be 'solved', I'll not be getting a bird until after college and settling somewhere
Has anyone else dealt with a similar situation and have some advice?
Or does anyone know of any airlines that makes it more affordable to fly with birds (in the cabin)?

Thanks x

 

[Tazlima]

Only advice I have as far as your living situation is to keep waiting. International travel and birds are a rough combination. There's a heartbreaking video online of a man who loses his parrot because he lets it hang out loose on the balcony. He'd done it a hundred times before, and one day the bird just flew away and didn't come back (the absconsion is caught on camera).

He came to the U.S. from Australia (I believe for school) and got the bird while he was here. When he discovered he couldn't take it back to Australia, he decided to stay permanently in the U.S. He literally planned his life around this bird, and was crushed when it went missing.

Regarding airlines, Birdtricks has an excellent video on air travel with birds. It's long, but definitely worth the watch.

Birdtricks doesn't have the greatest reputation in some areas, but they DO have an extensive history of traveling with birds, and I found this particular video very informative when it came to detailing potential pitfalls and how to navigate them. I've never flown with my birds, and there were many elements I wouldn't have considered.

Affordability is honestly the least of your concerns. Every airline has different regulations and they're constantly changing. Then there's the stress of travel itself, securing the cage (to keep the bird in, keep fingers out, and meet regulations), ways to help the bird be more comfortable while traveling...the list goes on.

 

[tka]

It depends on which airlines fly between Poland and Ireland. I found this information - as you can see, it all depends on the airline and these are subject to changes.

13 Airlines That Allow Pet Birds on Planes [2022 Policies & Prices] - Pets That Travel

The following 14 airlines allow birds on their planes, in either the cabin or cargo, however they have strict policies. In this article, we will list the airline's strict rules and regulations you must adhere to, as well as their prices in 2019.

www.petsthattravel.com

There are very few airlines that allow birds to travel in the cabin with you. I've checked Vueling, Aeroflot and Air Europa but I can't see direct flights between Dublin and Poland for any of these. Trust me, you are not going to want to use connecting flights with a bird in tow - they never give you enough time. At best, you will have to race to another gate (sometimes a different terminal altogether) and at worst, you'll have to collect your luggage, check your luggage in to the different flight and go through security screening again. I've had to sprint through JFK to get to a flight and it's not something I'd want to do with a parrot!

Even if an airline does offer a flight between Dublin and Warsaw/Krakow you're going to be dependent on a) that airline maintaining that direct flight and b) that airline maintaining a policy of allowing birds to travel in the cabin. That's a headache I wouldn't want to risk for myself. These things change all the time. Travelling itself as a student is difficult enough - my partner lives in the UK and studies in the US, so I've had plenty of experience heaving her giant suitcases around. Again, not something I'd want to do whilst wrangling a stressed parrot.