- The days of stowing your pet away in the cargo are over on select domestic routes as Virgin Australia officially starts pets-in-cabin service.
- Starting from October 16th, this offering will be available between Melbourne and the Gold Coast as well as Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast.
- Virgin Australia hopes to make pet-friendly flights available across its wider domestic network in the coming year, pending customer feedback and trial insights.
Over a year since the announcement that a limited trial was in discussion, Virgin Australia is now the first Aussie airline to welcome pets in cabins with furry friend fares officially on sale from today.
Though you might want to put a pin in those cross-country travel fantasies with your four-legged companions in tow. At least for the time being.
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To begin with, the only eligible routes for Virgin Australiaโs Pets-in-Cabin service will be between Melbourne and the Gold Coast, as well as Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast: small dogs and/or cats only (limit of four animals weighing under 8kg combined with carrier) with an introductory price of $149 per animal, per flight.
Granted, itโs not quite the landscape-altering development many had imagined straight from the jump. But considering Virgin Australia, Qantas, and Jetstar already allowed service dogs to fly free prior to this, widening the net with a pet-friendly initiative represents a major step forward.
โOur guests have been telling us for years how much they want to travel alongside their pets and now they finally can. Itโs a model thatโs proven successful in the US and Europe and weโre thrilled to bring it to Australia,โ said Virgin Australia Group CEO Dave Emerson.
โWith almost 70% of households owning a pet, we expect the service to be embraced by pet lovers all around the country. Beyond convenience for pet owners, the service is also set to boost the pet-friendly travel sector, including hotels and tourism operators.โ
Virgin Australia Group Medical Officer, Dr Kelly Bofkin, has assured the airline will take a rigorous approach to addressing allergy and hygiene considerations.
โEnsuring the health and comfort of all guests has been central to the development of this service, and weโve carefully reviewed customer feedback since our 2024 announcement to inform every decision,โ she explained.
โWe have looked to best medical evidence, worked with other airlines [that] currently carry pets and consulted with peak allergy bodies in developing our policies and procedures. Our aircraft are fitted with advanced HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration systems, which capture more than 99% of airborne particles, including pet dander.โ
Dr Bofkin added: โCabin airflow dynamics are such that air circulates from top to bottom and the cabin air is renewed 20-30 times per hour, which greatly reduces the risk of airborne allergen transfer. Additionally, the creation of โbuffer zonesโ (two rows behind and two rows in front of the allocated pet rows) ensures that the risk to guests of allergen exposure is significantly reduced.โ
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To book a Pets-in-Cabin service youโll need to call the Virgin Australia Guest Contact Centre directly on 13 67 89 and agree to the Terms and Conditions to proceed. Weight/size restrictions, containment requirements, and seating allocation aside, other non-negotiables include proof of vaccination. Additionally, pets still wonโt be allowed in any lounges or airport food/beverage outlets due to food safety compliance.
Depending on how this limited trial goes down โ and with careful consideration of both โimportant customer insights and feedback โ Virgin Australia will aim for a broader rollout of pets in cabins across its domestic network over the next 12 months.
