News
Virgin Australia seeks approval for pets to travel in the passenger cabin
March 8th 2024
Virgin Australia (VA) intends to be the first airline in Australia to allow pets to travel with their owners on selected domestic flights. Read More » Subject to regulatory approval and stakeholder consultation, the new air travel option for pets and their owners is planned to start within 12 months. The travelling pets will be limited to a small number of designated rows on eligible routes and will not be allowed to roam freely or sit on laps of owners or other passengers. Animals must travel in a Virgin Australia approved pet carrier placed under the seat in front of the owner for the entire flight. VA said the service had received strong support in the survey of VA’s Facebook followers. Nearly 70% of respondents said they would travel with their pet in the cabin and 57% of those surveyed said they would fly more regularly if the service was a reality. “Almost 70% of Australian households have a pet so this announcement is really significant for a large proportion of the country,” said VA CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka.
