Dogs on planes: What you need to know about Virgin’s new furry-passenger policy

In a development that will be lauded by pet parents, Virgin Australia is now allowing dogs and cats to fly in the cabin rather than in a plane’s cargo hold.

The move isn’t just a response to customer demand; it shows how our relationship with pets has evolved and how airlines are taking notice.

Why is Virgin allowing pets on planes?

Virgin Australia has begun allowing pets in cabins as of September 17, following the necessary approval. The company, which announced the plan in August, said almost all major carriers in North America offered the service for domestic flights, including United Airlines and Air Canada. It also pointed to a social media survey of followers in 2021, which showed 85 per cent of respondents in favour of the idea.

Ryan Jopp, a senior lecturer in tourism at Melbourne’s Swinburne University, said that globally, pets on planes were fairly well accepted, certainly in places such as North America.

“So I think, really, Australia is perhaps playing a little catch-up here. I think maybe Virgin is doing this as a way to get a bit of a competitive advantage over Qantas and be seen as a bit of a point of difference.”

How will it work?

People will need to book directly via Virgin’s website. The pet will need to fit “comfortably” within a Virgin Australia-approved soft-sided pet carrier and weigh less than eight kilograms, including the carrier. Selected flights will reserve two rows for passengers travelling with pets.

What is the pilot’s role?

As Virgin moves ahead with its plans, the process by which pilots will judge the safety of dogs and cats remains unclear. Under Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules, a pilot in command must take reasonable steps to ensure the carriage of an animal does not adversely affect the safety of the flight.

“A person may only bring an animal onto an aircraft with your [the pilot’s] permission. Before you give permission, all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure carrying the animal will not adversely affect aviation safety,” CASA general operations and flight rules say.

What constitutes a “reasonable step” may vary depending on the airline, aircraft type and the animal being carried. Virgin already transports dogs and cats in its planes’ cargo holds, as well as “non-exotic” birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, rats, snakes and lizards.

How much will travelling with a pet in a cabin add to your airfare?

Virgin says it will cost $149 per pet per flight. That’s comparable to prices in the US. United, for example, charges $US150 ($230) for a pet in the cabin, each way. What is spent on pet travel may be saved on lodging a dog or cat while away, Jopp said.

“It’s always difficult to find a dog sitter, and you might feel that owner’s guilt if you have to leave a dog in a kennel when you are going on a holiday. So the ability to take a pet with you on the holiday might be something that a lot of people are looking for.”

What about people who don’t like pets?

“Not everyone is an animal person,” said Jopp. “They might be allergic to cats, perhaps. You never know how your pet is going to react the first time they go on a flight, especially during the take-off and landing. Maybe they’ll become nervous; maybe they’ll start barking or howling.”

They could become nauseous. There is the possibility of backlash from people who oppose pets in planes, Jopp said.

Nevertheless, a poll of pet owners commissioned by Virgin showed nearly 70 per cent of respondents said they would travel with their pet in the cabin if given the option. RSPCA Australia said it welcomed the announcement by Virgin. Nearly 70 per cent of the nation’s households own pets.

What about people with allergies to pets?

Virgin Australia said its aircraft were equipped with advanced HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filtration systems, which refresh cabin air 20 to 30 times an hour with sterile air, “flowing from ceiling to floor”.

As a result, most passengers can be “comfortably” seated just a few rows away from pets without experiencing allergic reactions.

Allergic passengers can request to be moved within the same cabin class free of charge, Virgin said, which was a solution anticipated by Food Safety Australia New Zealand in its August report.

Submissions from individuals to FSANZ focused on concerns about health impacts for people with allergies to animals, but “non-food allergens” were beyond the scope of the application made to the regulator.

“Submissions from individuals were almost evenly divided between support and non-support” for pets in cabins, it said.

For those with pet allergies on planes, the US-based Asthma & Allergy Network, which opposes pets on planes, has laid out a plan of action: “Request to sit as far away as possible from pets when making a reservation, wear a mask or nasal filters to block pet allergens, pre-medicate with an antihistamine or nasal spray, and carry a quick-relief [Ventolin] inhaler if you have asthma.”

What about the pets themselves?

Dr Sam Kovac, founder of Sydney-based Southern Cross Vet said dogs and cats, like humans, also have Eustachian tubes that connect their ears, nose and throat. A pressure change can sometimes cause a sensation of build-up and even ringing for the animals.

“Dogs and cats can’t tell us if they’re experiencing discomfort, and we can’t give them a lolly to suck on, or tell them to yawn.” However, special dog earmuffs exist to help with the pressure changes, he said.

Bringing a chew toy on board with your pet “can help to equalise the pressure for a more enjoyable flight,” Kovac said. Travelling animals can also get motion sickness. “Turbulence, the unfamiliar environment and take-off and landing can cause dogs to whimper,” said Kovac. “However, as they’re with their best friend [you], gentle affection and cuddling likely minimises this.”

RSPCA Australia said: “Guardians should ensure that their pet is under control, socialised to other animals and people, and calm and comfortable when travelling.”

To avoid animals relieving themselves in-flight, Virgin has worked with a veterinarian to develop guidelines for exercise, feeding, hydration, and toileting before the flight.

“To manage any unexpected incidents, pet carriers must have a leak-proof base, and absorbent mats must be placed both inside and beneath the carrier,” Virgin said.

When is this set to begin?

From Wednesday, passengers can book a place for their animals on flights between Melbourne and the Gold Coast and Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, at the introductory price of $149 per animal, per one-way trip.

After January 30, the service will be available across all Virgin’s domestic flights.

Passengers will need to arrive at the airport with their pet in an approved carrier with cable ties that secure all but one opening and an absorbent mat placed inside. The pet will need to be fitted with a harness or collar and lead.

Why this change?

For many people, pets are more important than they used to be, so allowing them on planes appears to follow this trend. The Victorian government commissioned a first-ever statewide pet census in the 2022-23 budget, finding that a quarter of those surveyed said owning a pet gave them “someone to look after” and provided a sense of family.

In May, Italy’s aviation regulator decided to allow airlines to carry dogs larger than eight kilograms on planes. Italian Civil Aviation Authority president Pierluigi Di Palma described the change as a response to new societal needs.

Jopp said declining birth rates had perhaps caused a rethink about the roles of pets.

“Maybe that is a sign people are replacing children with pets, and maybe that’s part of the higher status that is now given to your pet cat or dog, because it really becomes a part of the family.”

Indeed, public figures as varied as Elon Musk, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the late Pope Francis have sounded the alarm on declining birthrates. Francis called out people who did not want children for reasons of “selfishness”.

“Sometimes they have one, and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children,” he said.

Jopp said: “I think that the dog has gone from being out in the yard and in the kennel to in the house to on the bed in many cases. So I think the position of the pet in the family has changed over the past couple of decades.”

He said some of the views around animals differed between cultures.

In the Middle East, there isn’t a special allowance for dogs or cats – but falcons are “seen with great respect and cultural significance”, particularly by the region’s wealthy, he said. For example, Emirates’ website says: “Pets are not permitted in the cabin, with the exception of falcons between Dubai and certain destinations in Pakistan.”

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