Is a bird accepted, and exactly where on the aircraft?
Begin with the threshold question, because policies vary widely: does this airline carry birds at all, and if so, in the cabin, as checked cargo, or both? Ask which species are accepted, since some carriers limit cabin travel to small household birds and exclude larger parrots, and ask whether your specific route, including any partner airline operating a connecting leg, follows the same rules. A booking that is valid on the first flight and refused on the second is a classic way for bird travel plans to collapse at the airport.
Ask also how many pet places are available per flight and whether yours is reserved at booking or only requested, because cabin pet spaces are limited and first-come arrangements reward booking the bird's place the moment you book your own seat.
The carrier, the bird, and the limits between them
Ask for the maximum carrier dimensions and weight for cabin travel, whether the carrier must fit under the seat, whether the bird must remain inside it for the entire journey, and what construction is required, such as ventilation, secure closure, and a leak-resistant base. Measure your bird's travel carrier against their figures rather than assuming the one you use in the car will qualify, because an airline-compliant carrier is often smaller and softer-sided than a rigid travel cage.
If cargo is the only option for your bird, ask how animals are loaded and held, what temperature and timing limits apply, and whether you can collect your bird yourself during a long connection, so you can judge honestly whether this journey should happen in that form at all.
Documents, health certificates, and timing
Ask what health documentation is required for your route, who must issue it, and how recently before travel it must be dated, since certificate validity windows are often short and a document obtained too early can expire before you fly. International routes add destination entry requirements, possible permits, and quarantine rules that sit outside the airline's own policy, so ask the airline what it checks at departure and then verify the destination's requirements separately with official sources and your vet well ahead of time.
Ask what happens at check-in and security: whether the bird is checked at the desk, whether you will be asked to remove it from the carrier at screening or can request a private screening room instead, which is worth asking about for any bird that might startle and fly in a crowded hall.
Fees, changes, and a plan for disruption
Confirm every charge connected to the bird in plain terms, how it is paid, and whether it is refundable if your plans change, and ask what the airline does for cabin pets during long delays, cancellations, and rebooking onto different aircraft, where a new plane may mean your bird's place does not automatically follow you. Write down the name of the policy page or the agent's answers, reconfirm a few days before travel, and arrive early, because bird cases are uncommon enough at many desks that staff may need time to check their own rules.
Carry copies of everything, on paper as well as on your phone, in case a document is questioned mid-journey. A KinsLe Pet Passport keeps your bird's health records and travel documents together in one portable packet, ready to show at check-in without searching bags and messages under pressure.