Tails are wagging today with the news that Virgin Australia is set to introduce pets in-cabin flights within the next year.
Pet owners have long lamented leaving their furry friends behind when taking flights. In a social media survey of Virgin Australia’s Facebook followers in 2021, 85 percent of respondents voted in favour of the airline launching pets in-cabin flights.
In more recent research conducted by Virgin Australia with Australian pet owners, nearly 70 per cent of respondents advised they would travel with their pet in the cabin, with 57 percent saying they would fly more regularly if the service was a reality.
The service will be limited to small cats and dogs, allocated to a small number of rows on select domestic flights.
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Pets will not be allowed to roam freely (though it’d be pretty awesome if they were) and must be contained in Virgin Australia approved carrier crates, to be stowed under the seat at the passenger’s feet.
Virgin Australia Group CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka said in a statement, “Almost 70 per cent of Australian households have a pet, so this announcement is really significant for a large proportion of the country.
“It’s also a great thing for pet-friendly accommodation providers who will benefit greatly from increased connectivity and the ease for travellers to fly with their pets. It really will be a whole new economy for pet travel in Australia.”
Details are yet to be revealed about which flights will be pet-friendly, or the cost of bringing your pet in-cabin. No changes will be made to assistance animals in-flight.
For more details, head to the Virgin Australia website.
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