Virgin Australia has announced that small cats and dogs will soon be able to travel in the main cabin with their owners.
However, before you start looking for flights for you and Whiskers, the airline said the proposal is months away, is subject to regulatory approval and will only be on certain domestic flights.
Under the proposal, only a limited number of pets will be allowed on board and they will have to remain in a Virgin-approved pet carrier for the whole flight.
Virgin Australia group chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said this was a change travellers wanted.
“Our love for animals has always been in the Virgin Australia DNA and we are excited at the prospect of taking off with Australia’s first-ever pets in cabin flights,” Ms Hrdlicka said.
“Overwhelmingly, our guests tell us they want to travel with their pets, and we are now on a journey to make that a reality.”
Virgin Australia surveyed its Facebook followers in 2021 and 85 per cent of respondents voted in favour of the airline allowing pets in the cabin.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus said the airport was working with the airline to implement the proposal. So there’s at least one route that’s going to be pet friendly.
To be honest, I’m not a fan of the proposal. I love dogs but I’m becoming increasingly frustrated with the number of ‘not my dog’ people who seem to think everyone around them should worship their pets as they do.
Time will tell how it goes, I suppose.
Meatstock back in Bendigo and Sydney
Vegetarians and vegans look away now.
Meatstock is excited to bring the festival back to both city and country in 2024, announcing events at Sydney and a new location in Bendigo, Victoria.
After the smashing success of the festivals in 2023, which saw a staggering 60,000 attendees storm through the gates, Meatstock is thrilled to announce the interstate 2024 instalments.
If an offset smoker and an electric guitar had a baby, it would be Meatstock. It’s a sensory explosion that combines the best live-fire barbecue experts and pitmasters in the country with an epic line-up of live music, wild entertainment, and nail-biting competitions.
Meatstock is shaking things up for Victoria, as it heads out west to its new home of Bendigo, an Australian town steeped in history and cultural heritage. On 16-17 March, Meatstock will be taking over the Bendigo Showgrounds, with this shift to a rural setting adding a fresh landscape to the festival.
Look out for:
· Big country music acts, spotlighting international and local legends, Chayce Beckham, James Johnston and Casey Barnes.
· Barbecue cook-offs and butcher wars, enjoying the best barbecue in the country.
· Strongman championships, witnessing the strongest Australian man and woman to be crowned.
· Dad-bod contests, discovering what a true dad bod should look like.
· Competitive eating events.
· Beard and Mo Wars presented by Better Beer.
For Bendigo tickets, visit here. Tickets for the next event in Sydney in April are also available.
For camping, RV, and caravan junkies, the Bendigo event has you covered with a range of camping options, from ‘big rig’ sites for the pros to spacious powered camping sites, right by the festival gates.
Question: Would you like to travel next to a pet? Why not share your opinion in the comments section below?
Also read: Five destinations where the Australian dollar buys you more
Hi, I am a Virgin customer and love dogs and cats, I didn’t receive an email or see where you could vote on Facebook, if I did it would be a definite no, what if you are trying to eat and they are stinking the plane out with there nervous belly if you know what I mean 😏😵💫or trying to sleep with there smells and yapping 🙄
That’s worse than crying babies, so a hard NO !
No no no. As if the pet owner will keep the animal in the pet carrier while the pet is howling, yapping, urinating and pooping. Not everyone needs to have your pet inflicted on them.
Another company That runs their Business on surveys, may the CEO should travel on her airline and sit next to a person with a cat or dog and see if she likes it ! What about a person who is allergic to cats or dogs and gets a heath episode could be an interesting court case. We all love cats and dogs but there is a time and place for everything. Maybe focus on getting the planes to fly on time would be a higher priority.
Are they deadly serious??? I’ve never heard such an absurd idea. There is not enough room under the seat for feet least of all a pet cage. Imagine you’re eating and someone’s dog under your seat decides to pass wind, how disgusting. NO NO NO!!!!!
I would not have a problem with a pet if it were not a BIG burly one and under FULL control by the owner.
Most ridiculously stupid idea ever.
It’s extremely uncomfortable for all passengers and the pets concerned.
Startled or uncomfortable pets wriggling about, knocking over drinks and making life miserable for all concerned, not to mention the G-forces when landing!
Un-freaking-believable.
I am an asthmatic, & allergic to dog & cat hair, & bird feathers. SO I would DEFINITELY NOT travel on a Virgin Airlines plane, & will find an airline that doesn’t have the need to pander to the whims of a minority of passengers!
Several reasons why not: –
Definitely not, as they can be transported in the cargo area already.
I would refuse to have a seat next to a dog or cat as I am a bit allergic to them.
They are animals, not people and the entitled people who want to carry their animals with them at all times need to understand that the majority of people do not want to share an already small area with a non human.
How are the owners going to stop the animals from urinating or defecating, barking or meowing, wanting to lick a stranger, trying to get some food?
How do you get past them when you are going to the toilet if they are blocking you in?
Smell, hair, slobber, tail wagging etc.
The list goes on.