Virgin Australia: Major change coming to flights means you may never have to leave your pet at home again
Virgin Australia has announced it will become the country’s first airline to allow pets on board so they can travel with their owners.
The plan to allow small cats and dogs on specific domestic flights will be announced in Melbourne on Thursday morning.
Pending regulatory approval, Virgin Australia is expected to launch the new service within 12 months.
Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the airline is “excited” to finally announce their pet-friendly plan.
“Our love for animals has always been in Virgin Australia’s DNA and we are excited about the prospect of taking Australia’s very first pets on cabin flights,” she said.
Paw-fect flight buddies? Virgin Australia wants pet owners to be able to bring their furry buddies on board
The airline said their proposal is for cats and small dogs. Pet owners would have a designated area on board where they can travel with their dog or cat
“It’s overwhelming that our guests tell us they want to travel with their pets, and we are now on a journey to make that a reality. It is something that often occurs abroad and has been proven to work well.’
While it would be a first for Australian airspace, most major airlines in North America offer a pet service, including United Airlines and Air Canada.
Virgin Australia proposes to have a limited number of dedicated rows for animals and their owners, and the puppies and felines will not be able to walk around the cabin or sit on laps.
Instead, all pets must be transported in an airline-approved carrier under the seat facing the owner for the entire flight.
There is an additional charge for bringing a pet on board, but the free payment for assistance dogs remains in place.
The airline surveyed their Facebook followers in 2021 and 85 percent of customers who voted were in favor of having pets on board.
Additionally, recent research from the pet-friendly airline found that 70 percent of Australian cat and dog owners would travel with their furry friend in the cabin.
The survey also found that 57 percent of travelers would fly more often if the service continued.
Virgin Australia hopes to launch its pet service in 12 months
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the airport will have “sufficient capacity” to serve Virgin Australia’s new furry guests.
“We expect the ‘pets in cabin’ concept to prove a popular offering and we look forward to working with Virgin Australia to make it a reality,” she said.
Ms Hrdlicka said 70 per cent of Australian households have a pet and believes the announcement is not only good news for owners, but also for the economy.
“It’s also a great thing for pet-friendly accommodation providers, who will benefit greatly from the increased connectivity and convenience for travelers to fly with their pets,” she said.
“It really is going to be a whole new economy for pet travel in Australia.”
Details of costs and pet-friendly routes will be announced in due course.