I flew my cats to S. Korea. The best advise I can give for finding out information for pets is to check with the country's embassy, check out the country's OFFICIAL website, or check with the USDA vet services department. Also the health certificate must be USDA approved. It can not be the standard health certificate for traveling within the US. Contact the USDA Vet Services (there is one in every state) they can help you get the correct information and what you need, etc.
As for the animals, oh yes they usually fly better than us. Regarding a sedative, I highly discourage against it. Many airlines will not let the animal fly if they are sedated and for long flights sedation can have negative effects. Giving the animal a treat during take-off and landing help their ears from bothering them. As for the airline, each airline has different regulations and many require a reservation for the animal so it is best to check with that airline. Korean Air allowed only one or two animals in cabin at a time so a reservation was a must.
Hope all that helps.
