Pets in the Cabin - Coming soon on Virgin Australia

[p--and--t]

Hopefully shouldn’t be an issue.Protocols already in place for guide dogs. And if a person was to approach with a pet you can leave your seat immediately and speak with the crew. Should be little to no time needed next to an animal.

Pray tell how that will work on a full flight?

 

[p--and--t]

Possibly. Lucky so far I guess.

Well… there’s always the possibility a guide dog will be on board, or has immediately been on board 20 minutes prior with the inbound flight.

And as posted above, the FAA believes the risk is present *at all times* given pax carry pet hair on their clothes.

53yrs of flying, 70+ countries, 1000s flights, never been on a flight with a dog or cat or other animal (other than human) AFAIAA.

Must be extremely lucky.

PS: If they launched a child free airline

 

[pauly7]

I'm actually surprised so many ppl are allergic to dogs/cats and they are all here in AFF.

Actually the prevalence of allergies to cats and dogs is really high amongst the general population (not just AFF ) some estimates are 10-20% of people are affected in some way.

I’m not, but my partner is and even if the animal is not present just a few hairs can set them off and it’s really uncomfortable for them (and anyone else in the vicinity that doesn’t like continuous sneezing )

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Pray tell how that will work on a full flight?

They might look to existing protocols with guide dogs, and the reseating policy there.

Hopefully other passengers will be willing to swap, or will swap at the request of the crew. Not sure what the current protocols are for someone with say a peanut allergy on flights in Australia? (for example if you are sat next to someone that is about to, or has recently consumed peanuts)

53yrs of flying, 70+ countries, 1000s flights, never been on a flight with a dog or cat or other animal (other than human) AFAIAA.

Must be extremely lucky.

That’s the thing… how would we know? Pax may have boarded early, or via a different door, or the pet was in a container that didn’t signal it as a pet carrier. Unless the animal is creating a nuisance, they could well be on board with zero complications.

 

[elanshin]

That’s the thing… if it has been working for year in other places, what’s so hard for us to work out in Australia? Things like reseating pax with allergies, or what to do in an emergency etc will all have blueprints. Nothing we’d need to do that is unique to Oz.

If the regulatory services had any safety concerns the permission to carry pets wouldn’t have been granted. Or so one hopes!

unless VA is paying hundreds of thousands or even millions on consultancy fees, they're not going to get the full playbook that the US and EU carriers have developed.

This is what will likely cause a shoddy implementation. There's probably hundreds of protocols and processes developed for all sorts of situations due to past events that VA will need to either figure out themselves or pay for.

Copying someone else's homework only works until things go off script.

 

[ferntree]

It is a national standard that dogs (in or out of baskets) are not allowed where food is prepared and/or eaten - no if, no buts, except for service dogs. Hopefully Health and Safetyor someone else will pursue Virgin over this

 

[DC3]

Pets in the cabin won’t be an issue for me, as long as it’s only done on VA.

 

[tdimdad]

And given how gravely serious the issue seems to be I do wonder how these people cope with travel in the USA or Europe. Or is travel there something something they're simply not able to do?

For many of them, this does restrict where they can travel. As you preempted, perhaps they don't even travel to those destinations. Or they make choices based on their condition (and without others even realising it). I've also had colleagues who do all their domestic travel by car because it's the only safe way for a family member to travel due to pet or nut allergies, or similar.

E.g. when catching a train in Finland, I deliberately steer away from the pet-friendly carriages and book a seat in a different part of the train. But for the train operator, it's easier to manage because only specific carriages carry pets and others are cleaner in this sense, always, and pax also have the (general) assurance that pets haven't travelled in the other carriages.

With VA, we need to wait and see how they want to set this up. For many of the allergic pax, it's matter of knowing what to prepare for: do they need a round of anti-histamine or other medication for the travel or how to best approach the upcoming flights.

 

[RooFlyer]

And then VirginWhat has this got to do with air travel policies?
It's simply a business and commercial decision.

Well, CASA did have to change their regulations first. Bit of policy there.

 

[clipped_wings]

Ambivalent on the actual subject matter. But a nasty asthmatic (me) and an autistic adult child with a morbid fear of (ALL) dogs. Curious to know if One should be entitled to know if it was an animal-friendly flight at the time of booking?

 

[Lynda2475]

As someone who is allergic to cats the thought of having to suffer hives and hayfever like symptoms because someone is too cheap to pay to have it looked after, means I wont fly Virgin anytime soon.

It is the cats dander and saliva that causes the reaction, even in a carrier their dander can be deposited and we know they dont clean planes properly, and especially not between flights given tight turnaround.

Plus you just know some selfish owner will take the cat out of the carrier, and since they can sense when people hate them i know it would head for me.

Small dogs might be ok, provided the airports have somewhere for the dog to toilet before boarding and owners have an approved carrier that is lined with proper pad to absorb accidents. And if barks repeatedly on flight instant lifetime ban for the dog.

Owners also should have to pay extra (and the dog counts as the personal item), no carry-on + personal item + dog.

But how will they make sure the seat has room underneath, some seats have IFE box taking up part of the footwell. Only a flexible fabric carrier not a hard cage is going to fit.

I've only been on a plane once where pet dogs were on board it was flying BCN-SPU on Vueling. Dog + Carrier is supposed to weight less than 10kgs and must fit under the seat. I watched a guy destroy/remove the padding from the carrier cause his dog was on the over weight side, thankfully not sitting near me.

I have travelled a few times next to a Labrador guide dog SYD-MEL or MEL-SYD as when Id fly this route regularly there was often a blind gentlemen who was also a regular. Of course guide dogs are well trained and sit patiently at the feet of their owner. Never made a sound or had an accident.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

unless VA is paying hundreds of thousands or even millions on consultancy fees, they're not going to get the full playbook that the US and EU carriers have developed.

This is what will likely cause a shoddy implementation. There's probably hundreds of protocols and processes developed for all sorts of situations due to past events that VA will need to either figure out themselves or pay for.

Copying someone else's homework only works until things go off script.

Do you have any evidence to support that claim?

VA is partners with united for example, I presume they share more than just how to offer FF miles and benefits?

Ambivalent on the actual subject matter. But a nasty asthmatic (me) and an autistic adult child with a morbid fear of (ALL) dogs. Curious to know if One should be entitled to know if it was an animal-friendly flight at the time of booking?

Apparently in the US you can ring and ask if there is an animal booked in the cabin. Can’t see why that wouldn’t be copied here, particularly if someone concerned about their health.

 

[Lynda2475]

Apparently in the US you can ring and ask if there is an animal booked in the cabin. Can’t see why that wouldn’t be copied here, particularly if someone concerned about their health.

If VA are are smart they would limit pet friendly flights to one flight per day on each route so that others can book a cat free flight.

And not use that aircraft on non-pet flights; so the 1-2 pet friendly aircraft should do all pet flights.

 

[RSVKanga]

Will VA install an additional indicator sign that complements the no smoking/seatbelt sign so passengers can know when they can let the animals out of the cages? Or do they have to be in the cage for the whole flight?

 

[justinbrett]

For many of the allergic pax, it's matter of knowing what to prepare for: do they need a round of anti-histamine or other medication for the travel or how to best approach the upcoming flights.

I would argue that is backwards. The question should be, how can the pet owner take steps so that other passengers aren't impacted.

If you're getting to the point of forcing others to take medication just so you can bring a pet (who is not going to enjoy the ride anyway) then I think this should be a hard no. Book them in the hold.

Or perhaps they could install a row of seats in the hold for the pet owners?

 

[Blacksheep]

I've had one chook on a flight in Africa - bloody thing escaped at 30-something thousand feet in the middle of the night, took all the passengers together quite a while to capture the damn thing.

Did it get served on the menu?

 

[Blacksheep]

Not sure why they are stopping at just dogs and cats when a large carpet python has the flexibility to fit under the seat in front

Might be missing a few smaller support pets after the flight

 

[Lynda2475]

and how many of these people with severe allergies/resporatory issues take the precaution of travelling wearing an n95 mask? Because from my count I’m one of the few who travels wearing one.

A mask doesnt help with cat allergies as its a contact issue with the dander, a mask doesn't protect your hands, arms, neck which are generally exposed, or your eyes as the air vents move the dander around the plane.

I always have an N95 in my bag but more so for if someone has obvious cold/flu symptoms and i dont want to catch it.

Post automatically merged: Mar 8, 2024

Things like reseating pax with allergies

Why does the person with the allergy need to move, you are giving the pet greater rights than the person. If I have paid for a preferred seat (by cash or status) I should not be disadvantaged because someone brings a cat. The person with the cat should have to go to the back of the bus.

 

[Blacksheep]

I will NOT travel on any airline that allows pets inside the cabin with my family! Dogs can whine and bark and I can not imagine eating a meal on an aircraft just as a dog dumps a load whether it's poo or vomit. The smell would make me vomit. All because some minority pet owners want their pets with them. Isn't that nice!!! The pets are NOT humans. They should NOT be in cabins. Where is the safety issue here. In an emergency these selfish people will be reluctant to leave without their pet. Hand carry must be left so should pets. But these people will clog the isle with the beasts and maybe be arguing with cabin staff. Just imagine yap yap yap yap for a whole flight. Or meowwwww for a whole flight. Cats can poo with fright also. Changes in pressure will set animals off as it does some children. We may as well go completely 3rd world and allow chickens, ducks, goats etc to travel with us as well. What is WRONG with the world now it's NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No pet carrying airline for me. Dogs STINK!

Fresh meat if the plane's go down and we survive

 

[hydrabyss]

As someone who is allergic to cats the thought of having to suffer hives and hayfever like symptoms because someone is too cheap to pay to have it looked after, means I wont fly Virgin anytime soon.

I would not say taking your cat on the plane is going to be a cheap exercise when you will need recent vacs and vet check to name a few.

Then there.s the chance things don;t go right at the airport and you can't fly or get delayed because of all the passengers sneezing and running in mass panic.