New Southwest Cargo Shipping Requirements

✈️ Southwest Cargo Live Animal Shipping Guide

Important Compliance Update – Effective December 11, 2025

Shipping live animals through Southwest Cargo requires additional documentation, handling procedures, and service-level decisions. Please review the information below before arriving at the cargo facility to ensure the safest and smoothest shipment possible.

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📍 Where We Fly | 🕒 Flight Schedules | 📦 Shipment Tracking

Southwest Cargo offers extensive domestic coverage with same-day and next-day options depending on route availability.

Customers should:

• Confirm origin and destination cargo stations
• Verify same-day flight availability
• Track shipments once tendered at the cargo facility

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🚨 IMPORTANT NOTICE – Live Animal Shipments

Effective December 11, 2025

All customers shipping live animals NOT intended for human or animal consumption must comply with IATA Live Animal Regulations (LAR) and complete all requirements below at the time of tendering.

✅ Exemptions

Live animals intended for human or animal consumption are EXEMPT from the IATA Live Animal Regulations outlined below.

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📋 Required at Time of Drop-Off

1️⃣ IATA Live Animal Acceptance Checklist

• Completed with a Southwest Cargo team member at the cargo facility
• Verifies:
  • Correct container type
  • Adequate ventilation
  • Secure closure
  • Proper labeling
  • Overall animal safety and welfare
• Customers are encouraged to review a sample checklist ahead of time to understand expectations

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2️⃣ Shipper’s Certification (REQUIRED)

• Required for every live animal shipment
• Two (2) copies must be provided
• Options:
  • Bring your own company version, or
  • Pre-fill a Southwest Cargo version prior to arrival, or
  • Complete a form provided at the cargo facility

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3️⃣ Shipment Request Form (STILL REQUIRED)

The Shipment Request Form must be completed and submitted to the Southwest Cargo agent at the time of tendering.

📄 The form must accurately include:

• Total number of boxes
• Dimensions of each box
• Weight of each box

⚠️ Missing or inaccurate information may result in delays, reprocessing, or refusal of shipment.
All measurements and weights must be final and accurate before arrival.

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4️⃣ Species-Specific Container Requirements

All live animals must be shipped in containers that fully comply with IATA Live Animal Regulations.

🔍 To ensure compliance:

• Refer to IATA Live Animal Regulations – Chapters 6 & 8
• Identify your Species-Specific Container Requirement Number
• Containers must meet standards for:
  • Size and strength
  • Ventilation
  • Secure closure
  • Animal safety and comfort

📛 MANDATORY EXTERNAL LABELING
Each box must have a securely adhered label on the outside that clearly includes:

• Customer’s full name
• Customer’s phone number

This information is critical in the event of:

• Flight delays
• Misrouting
• Cargo facility handling questions
• Emergency contact needs

⚠️ Shipments may be delayed or refused if container or labeling requirements are not met.

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⭐ Recommended for Best Possible Outcome: Next Flight Guarantee (NFG)

For live animal shipments, we strongly recommend selecting Next Flight Guarantee (NFG).

Why Next Flight Guarantee Matters

• Guarantees your shipment moves on the next available flight
• Prevents your shipment from being bumped or delayed
• Minimizes holding and transit time for live animals
• Provides priority handling from acceptance through arrival

⚡ Faster Access Upon Arrival

• NFG shipments are taken off the aircraft first
• Customers gain faster access to their packages
• Reduces post-arrival waiting time compared to Standard service

Important Service Comparison

• Next Flight Guarantee (NFG)
  • Shipment will NOT be bumped
  • First off the plane
  • Faster pickup and reduced holding time
  • Best and safest option for live animals
• Standard Service
  • Shipments may be bumped if another customer tenders later with higher priority
  • Removed after priority freight
  • Longer wait times at destination facilities

💡 While Next Flight Guarantee does cost more, it significantly reduces risk and offers the highest level of protection for live animal shipments.

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⚠️ Why This Policy Exists & Why Compliance Matters

These updated procedures are in place due to ongoing issues caused by improper live animal shipping practices by some shippers transporting fish into and out of airport cargo facilities.

Issues that have led to preventable losses include:

• Shippers not caring what time or flight their fish are booked on
• No consideration for temperature conditions during transit
• Failure to monitor after-hours arrivals
• Cargo being left outside in extreme heat or cold
• Lack of concern for overall fish welfare and transit timing

When fish die due to these avoidable mistakes, claims are often incorrectly made against Southwest, even though the losses are the direct result of shipper negligence and failure to follow best practices.

These policies exist to:

• Protect the well-being of live animals
• Reduce preventable losses
• Ensure accountability
• Educate shippers on the real responsibilities of live animal transport

🚫 Critical Notice
If these issues continue despite stricter requirements, Southwest may be forced to ban all live animal shipments entirely. This would negatively impact responsible shippers who follow proper procedures and care about animal welfare.

Compliance is essential to keeping live animal shipping available for everyone.

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🐾 What to Expect at the Cargo Facility

• Southwest Cargo staff will:
  • Review all documentation
  • Complete the IATA acceptance checklist with you
  • Inspect containers, labels, and shipment details
• Live animal shipments may require additional processing time, so please plan accordingly

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💡 Tips for a Smooth Live Animal Shipment

• Arrive early, especially on peak shipping days
• Bring all paperwork fully completed
• Double-check:
  • Shipment Request Form details
  • Box count, dimensions, and weights
  • External box labeling
• Select Next Flight Guarantee whenever possible
• Confirm flight availability before traveling to the cargo station

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🤝 Thank You

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as these procedures are implemented.
Your compliance helps protect live animals and ensures this service remains available for responsible shippers.