Virgin Australia has introduced plans to change into Australia’s first airline to function flights with pets allowed within the cabin.
Pet-lovers throughout Australia will probably be thrilled by the plans, that are topic to regulatory approval and anticipated to launch inside 12 months.
Virgin Australia
In a social media survey of Virgin Australia’s Facebook followers in 2021, 85% of individuals voted in favour of the airline launching pets in cabin flights. And extra recent analysis by Virgin Australia confirmed that 70% of individuals would journey with their pet within the cabin, and 57% of these stated they’d fly extra usually if they might take their pet with them.
There will probably be limits for company bringing a pet with them, incuding:
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Only small cats and dogs will probably be allowed, and solely on particular home routes
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Pets will probably be restricted to a restricted variety of designated rows and won’t be allowed to roam freely or sit on laps
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Pets should be carried in a Virgin Australia-approved pet carried beneath the seat in entrance of the proprietor at some stage in the flight
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka and a Virgin Australia cabin crew member with two dogs wearing Virgin Australia uniforms at an airport | Virgin Australia
“Our love for animals has always been in the Virgin Australia DNA and we are excited at the prospect of taking off with Australia’s first-ever pets in cabin flights,” Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka stated. “Overwhelmingly, our guests tell us they want to travel with their pets, and we are now on a journey to make that a reality. It’s something that commonly happens overseas and is proven to work well.”
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus added: “We’ve been investing significant effort into providing relief areas for assistance animals and these facilities have ample capacity to serve Virgin Australia’s new guests.
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka and a Virgin Australia cabin crew member with two dogs dressed in Virgin Australia uniforms at an airport | Virgin Australia
“Animals being carried on board Virgin Australia flights will be required to remain in their approved pet carriers at all other times within the terminal. We expect the pets in cabin concept will prove a popular offering and we look forward to working with Virgin Australia to make it a reality.”
Virgin Australia has confirmed that the proposed pets in cabin flights won’t lead to any change to permitted help animals with the ability to journey in Virgin Australia plane cabins at no extra cost. The present process for assessing the eligibility of those help animals to journey will even not change. And Virgin Australia will proceed to supply pets to be transported as cargo by way of permitted pet provider providers as this stays an necessary a part of the airline’s providing.
Visit Virgin Australia to search out out extra.
