Small pets could soon be allowed to be with their owners in the cabin on certain Virgin Australia flights in a huge change to domestic air travel.
Outgoing Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka made the announcement on Thursday morning saying the airline wanted to be the first in the country to introduce the option.
The move is subject to regulatory approval, but if it gets through, Virgin will launch the pet flights on specific domestic routes within the next 12 months.
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There will be dedicated rows on the pet flights for the owners travelling with their cats or dogs, however only small animals would be allowed.
They will also be required to be restricted in a pet carrier under the seat in front of the owner and will not be able to roam around freely or sit on people’s laps for the entirety of the flight.
“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,” Hrdlicka said.
“Almost 70 per cent of Australian households have a pet, so this announcement is really significant for a large proportion of the country.
“It’s also a great thing for pet-friendly accommodation providers who will benefit greatly from increased connectivity and the ease for travellers to fly with their pets. It really will be a whole new economy for pet travel in Australia.”