Virgin Australia has announced its intention to become the first airline in the country to fly with pets on board, under plans announced today.
The Australian-first service, which may delight pet lovers but will scare others, is subject to regulatory approval and could be launched within 12 months. I plan to
The company said in a 2021 social media survey of Virgin Australia's Facebook followers, 85% of respondents voted in favor of allowing pets onboard its flights. Additionally, a recent Virgin Australia survey of Australian pet owners found that nearly 70% of respondents would advise traveling with their pets on board, and 57% would advise more if the service were available. He added that he said he flies regularly.
Almost every major North American airline, including United Airlines and Air Canada, offers in-flight pet service on domestic flights.
Proposal for bringing your pet on board
To ensure the best experience for all our customers, Virgin Australia today announced some conditions for pets on our flights.
- This service is limited to small dogs and cats on certain domestic routes.
- Pets are restricted to a limited number of designated rows and are not allowed to roam freely or sit on your lap.
- Pets must be carried in a Virgin Australia approved pet carrier under the seat in front of their owner during the flight.
At a press conference at Melbourne Airport, Virgin Australia Group CEO Jane Hrdlicka said she was excited to finally reveal Virgin Australia's plans to become Australia's first airline to offer pets on board. He said he is doing so.
“Our love of animals has always been in Virgin Australia's DNA and we're thrilled to be taking Australia's first pet on board,” Ms Hrdlicka said.
“Overwhelmingly, our customers have told us they want to travel with their pets and we are currently on a journey to make that a reality. This is common and proven to be effective overseas.
“Almost 70% of Australian households own a pet, so this announcement is hugely important for large parts of the country. This will truly be a whole new economy for pet travel in Australia.
“Pets on board is another example of Virgin Australia leading the way by providing our customers with new and improved service offerings and market-first experiences.
“Innovation has always been a hallmark of Virgin Australia. We were the first airline in the country to offer online check-in. This year, we became the first Australian airline to offer fully integrated self-service confusion management with baggage tracking. We introduced tools. It is this innovation and first-to-market drive that underpins our presence in the market,” she said.
The airline said the in-cabin pet proposal would not result in any changes to approved assistance animals that can travel in the cabin on Virgin Australia aircraft at no additional cost. The existing procedures for evaluating the eligibility of these assistance animals for in-flight travel remain unchanged. Additionally, Virgin Australia will continue to offer the service of transporting pets as cargo through approved pet transport services. This is because it remains an important part of Virgin Australia's pet products.
