Swissport is offering a significant upgrade to the handling of unaccompanied, travelling pets and has opened up a pet lounge at O.R. Tambo Airport .
The company says the move highlights their commitment to animal welfare and operational excellence. The new Pet Lounge, designed specifically for the import and export of unaccompanied pets, is separate from Swissport’s general air cargo warehouse. It aims to provide a calm, stress-free environment tailored to the needs of animals in transit.
The facility features air conditioning, water service, and “soothing” music to help reduce stress, making the pets’ stay as comfortable as possible. Pet lounge has dedicated waiting areas Swissport’s chief executive for South Africa, Khangi Khoza, announced the lounge as a new benchmark for animal handling at South African airports. “The Swissport Pet Lounge sets a new benchmark in animal handling at an airport in South Africa, making the stay for our special travellers as relaxing as possible,” Khoza said .
“The facility reflects our commitment to delivering services that benefit the animals and our customers from airlines and forwarders alike.” The facility includes a dedicated acceptance area for checking animals and their travel documentation. It also offers two separate rooms where pets can wait for their flight, their owner, or a specialised animal handling agent.
A dedicated team, trained to handle animals, manages the lounge and ensures compliance with the Internati.
