Pets in the Cabin - Coming soon on Virgin Australia

[kyle]

Couldn’t agree more. If you are unable to travel without your pet or check it into the hold, don’t expect others to accommodate.

Works the other way too of course.

 

[MooTime]

Works the other way too of course.

As in if the pet can't travel without its owner?

 

[p--and--t]

Another FF site is reporting

“Virgin’s ‘pet zone’ will be restricted to a limited number of designated rows on each plane, making it easier to separate passengers who’d rather not be near those animals, such as travellers with allergies.”

If the zone is at the back, does this mean everyone in the back half of plane has to walk past them to board and does every economy passenger have to pass them to get to WC. Also very close to the galley where food is prepared.

If not at the back, where. Using up the extra legroom seats behind business (now without dividers)?

If a passenger has an allergy will they get seat selection for free or become second class citizens who's needs are relegated behind a pet.

 

[MooTime]

Another FF site is reporting

“Virgin’s ‘pet zone’ will be restricted to a limited number of designated rows on each plane, making it easier to separate passengers who’d rather not be near those animals, such as travellers with allergies.”

If the zone is at the back, does this mean everyone in the back half of plane has to walk past them to board and does every economy passenger have to pass them to get to WC. Also very close to the galley where food is prepared.

If not at the back, where. Using up the extra legroom seats behind business (now without dividers)?

If a passenger has an allergy will they get seat selection for free or become second class citizens who's needs are relegated behind a pet.

So by placing the "cage" under seat in front of you, that's awfully close to the pax sitting in that seat. It could slide / move with turbulence.

If you drop something on ground, you'd want to be careful where you put your hand / finger to find it.

Could the dog urine outside the cage, leg up as they do and onto your foot?

They wouldn't be wonderful at all.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Couldn’t agree more. If you are unable to travel without your pet or check it into the hold, don’t expect others to accommodate.

Well, it might come down to economics.

Westjet operates 700 flights a day. Assuming the above figures are correct, pets are carried in-cabin on 175 of those flights. Even if it’s just one pet at $125 a time, that’s almost $8 million annually.

Air Canada allegedly responded by following suit.

Another FF site is reporting

“Virgin’s ‘pet zone’ will be restricted to a limited number of designated rows on each plane, making it easier to separate passengers who’d rather not be near those animals, such as travellers with allergies.”

If the zone is at the back, does this mean everyone in the back half of plane has to walk past them to board and does every economy passenger have to pass them to get to WC. Also very close to the galley where food is prepared.

If not at the back, where. Using up the extra legroom seats behind business (now without dividers)?

If a passenger has an allergy will they get seat selection for free or become second class citizens who's needs are relegated behind a pet.

Not sure what food is prepared in the VA economy galley? And not to mention the hundreds of people walking their shoes through the galley during boarding and disembarkation, and after using the WC?

So by placing the "cage" under seat in front of you, that's awfully close to the pax sitting in that seat. It could slide / move with turbulence.

If you drop something on ground, you'd want to be careful where you put your hand / finger to find it.

Could the dog urine outside the cage, leg up as they do and onto your foot?

They wouldn't be wonderful at all.

Containers are required to be waterproof.

If movement of the container was an issue causeing a safety concern, it won’t be allowed.

Many of the arguments being raised against the carriage of pets in cabin could equally be applied to passengers themselves! What if passengers don’t wear shoes to the toilet? Or don’t wash their hands and come back to spread urine over the seat? What if pax can’t make it to the WC in time?

 

[MooTime]

Well, it might come down to economics.

Westjet operates 700 flights a day. Assuming the above figures are correct, pets are carried in-cabin on 175 of those flights. Even if it’s just one pet at $125 a time, that’s almost $8 million annually.

Air Canada allegedly responded by following suit.



Not sure what food is prepared in the VA economy galley? And not to mention the hundreds of people walking their shoes through the galley during boarding and disembarkation, and after using the WC?


Containers are required to be waterproof.

If movement of the container was an issue causeing a safety concern, it won’t be allowed.

Many of the arguments being raised against the carriage of pets in cabin could equally be applied to passengers themselves! What if passengers don’t wear shoes to the toilet? Or don’t wash their hands and come back to spread urine over the seat? What if pax can’t make it to the WC in time?

Bottom of cage may have a waterproof plastic / absorbing layer, but the sides are a cage, air and water solution passes to though.
Not a safety concern, just a dog taking a leak. Boy girl dogs you know.

 

[justinbrett]

Well, it might come down to economics.

Westjet operates 700 flights a day. Assuming the above figures are correct, pets are carried in-cabin on 175 of those flights. Even if it’s just one pet at $125 a time, that’s almost $8 million annually.

I very much doubt your source. Even it used the caveat “reportedly”, and the way it is written could well include pets in the hold.

But also your number of flights include international, many of which don’t permit pets, and domestic/US pets are only C$50-59. So the profit is probably much less than that.

It’s still cheaper than the hold, so quite possibly pets in the cabin are a net loss for the airline by giving pax a cheaper option.

 

[suejay]

I think I'd prefer to sit next to a cat or small dog than some people I have had to endure on flights.

I agree! I love meeting cats or dogs, wherever they are.

 

[prozac]

I very much doubt your source. Even it used the caveat “reportedly”, and the way it is written could well include pets in the hold.

But also your number of flights include international, many of which don’t permit pets, and domestic/US pets are only C$50-59. So the profit is probably much less than that.

It’s still cheaper than the hold, so quite possibly pets in the cabin are a net loss for the airline by giving pax a cheaper option.

A simple solution, for the Virgin market research, is to post seats available for pax with pets, and then seats on either side marketed at a discount for pax prepared to sit next to said pet thus removing the ability to complain when seated alongside a fur-baby mother.

 

[simmomelb]

As others have said, I'd much rather have a small pet in a cage near me than a human that is unfortunately, not in a cage, particularly the type that think it's okay to put their feet on the back of a seat or up against the divider...

 

[33kft]

and then seats on either side marketed at a discount for pax prepared to sit next to said pet thus removing the ability to complain when seated alongside a fur-baby mother.

Oh I know some corporates who would love snapping up those cheap seats for their unaware staff...

 

[Port Power]

So by placing the "cage" under seat in front of you, that's awfully close to the pax sitting in that seat. It could slide / move with turbulence.

If you drop something on ground, you'd want to be careful where you put your hand / finger to find it.

Could the dog urine outside the cage, leg up as they do and onto your foot?

They wouldn't be wonderful at all.

Seats have a forward rail so that underseat luggage cannot slide forward, so that same rail would stop a carry kennel from also sliding forward. Carry kennels are usually fine metal or plastic mesh, or canvas. No way a dog’s snout is going to get through enough to bite or even lick anyone. Nor wide enough for a groping finger to enter.

I trained my miniature dachshund to wee on command, so she would “go” before being crated. Most dogs won’t wee if in a crate for four hours. They are clean animals. I would have loved to take my dog when visiting Mum and Dad, where she could run around in their backyard.

 

[simmomelb]

Most dogs won’t wee if in a crate for four hours. They are clean animals. I would have loved to take my dog when visiting Mum and Dad, where she could run around in their backyard.

Exactly, dogs do not want to pee in their sleeping quarters, they don't even need to be trained for that. The only reason that would happen is out of sheer desperation or due to a medical condition.

 

[p--and--t]

Exactly, dogs do not want to pee in their sleeping quarters, they don't even need to be trained for that. The only reason that would happen is out of sheer desperation or due to a medical condition.

Or being terrified of being cramped into a small cage, shoved under a seat where they can't see what's going on and hearing and feeling the acceleration on take off or movement in turbulence.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Or being terrified of being cramped into a small cage, shoved under a seat where they can't see what's going on and hearing and feeling the acceleration on take off or movement in turbulence.

That may be an issue with your dog or cat? Even going to the vet it doesn’t illicit that behaviour in our cat! (and the waiting room at the vet is pretty hectic and chaotic, all sizes of dogs out of cages mixed with cats in cages)

 

[Daver6]

Or being terrified of being cramped into a small cage, shoved under a seat where they can't see what's going on and hearing and feeling the acceleration on take off or movement in turbulence.

Are you just making this up for the sake of arguing?

 

[p--and--t]

Are you just making this up for the sake of arguing?

We have adopted two abandoned cats. One is extremely nervous and jumps at the slightest unexpected sound and panic and runs and hides if a stranger so much as enters the end of our driveway. The second one has to be approached cautiously and carefully as any unexpected move or it feels cornered will turn viscous and rip the skin off your arms if in the firing line. Couldnt contemplate ever putting either through the trauma of a cage and a flight.

Previously owned a dog that would would wet itself if it got excited playing let alone its reaction if was stressed.

Pets don’t need to be traumatised to conveniently meet its owners travel plans

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We have adopted two abandoned cats. One is extremely nervous and jumps at the slightest unexpected sound and panic and runs and hides if a stranger so much as enters the end of our driveway. The second one has to be approached cautiously and carefully as any unexpected move or it feels cornered will turn viscous and rip the skin off your arms if in the firing line. Couldnt contemplate ever putting either through the trauma of a cage and a flight.

Previously owned a dog that would would wet itself if it got excited playing let alone its reaction if was stressed.

Then you’re not going to be carrying them by plane! I suspect most pet owners who can afford to be taking their pets in cabin will be kind enough to avoid the situation if their pet is not up to it.