Pets in the Cabin - Coming soon on Virgin Australia

[jakeseven7]

Allergic to cats so this is really a hard pass from me.

What a stupid initiative.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I'm also allergic so will avoid va if this gets adopted.

I wonder if va has considered the risk and cost of medical diversions for pax with severe allergies?

 

[justinbrett]

“In the event of an emergency evacuation, please leave all luggage and pets behind”

Are owners prepared for that? If not, leave them at home.

 

[A321]

Before you begin to think about everything else, how are you getting any pet carrier under the seat Infront? Poor Fido would need to do yoga.
Surely this is a joke announcement.

 

[Stealthflyer]

This thread makes out that VA’s proposal is outrageous when in fact pets are taken on planes and trains in other countries without the mass meltdowns imagined by many of my fellow AFFs. I look forward to the company of my future doggo flight neighbours.

 

[ozstamps]

Well, I expect my dogs and cats are all counted as my Platinum guest allowance into the Lounges. Clearly no-one has given any thought to such basic realities.

There is no way anything bigger than a hamster will fit in a cage under any Virgin seat. And shoving the cage thru the security scanner will be fun for Fido -- I think not.

Yes all sounds like PR airy fairy barely thought out spin, to get some free headlines, and take the media focus off Janey's dumping. Talking head Janey was herself on TV tonight glibly stating with a smirk that pax allergic to animal hair, and the smell of faeces and urine from their $200 seat, 'had plenty of other seats they could move to.' April 1st is 3 weeks away! She definitely needs to move on, and join the real world somewhere.

No price announced, no routes announced, and surprise, surprise, not a word that it will even be approved by the powers that be. And Qantas will be laughing all the way to the bank.

I still think for each pet they carry at $50 or so will see many pax at $100s each choose NOT to fly Virgin. Many posters above confirm this obvious reality. If this thread is a litmus test, they'd be wise to dump this daffy idea. FAST.

 

[Spacetravel]

Id like to draw attention to this recent incident on united. Owner took dog out of cage and the dog relived itself on nearby passenger.

A Dog Made a Disgusting Mess on a United Flight. But Who Should Clean It Up?

Fodor's provides expert travel content worth exploring so you can dream up your next trip. The world is a weird and wonderful place—we want to show you around.

www.fodors.com

I don’t understand why Virgin (or other airlines) are willing to expose themselves to this liability. A pet could ruin the flight for other passengers who then want compensation from Virgin. Surely this seems like a higher risk than the reward of allowing pets? I guess someone at VA doesn’t think so.

 

[ozstamps]

Oddly, Janey made no mention of this sort of reality in her smirky PR spin on the TV news here -

'Last week, a chihuahua traveling on a United flight relieved herself while on a passenger’s lap, soiling the seat and the armrests and causing a stink.

According to passenger interviews, the dog’s owner took out the pet from the carrier–which isn’t allowed. The owner admitted to not taking the dog to the bathroom before the flight.

After the chihuahua relieved herself on the flight, the dog’s owner didn’t deal with the mess herself, but someone alerted the crew. It allegedly took the crew 10 minutes to respond.

“The lady was reluctant to move or to deal with it, and the flight attendants were slow to come,” a passenger told WGNTV.

Ultimately, a crew member in a hazmat suit cleaned up the area. The passengers were offered sanitizers and bags of coffee to deal with the odor.' etc, etc

 

[DC3]

Coming next:

 

[hydrabyss]

This thread makes out that VA’s proposal is outrageous when in fact pets are taken on planes and trains in other counties without the mass meltdowns imagined by many of my fellow AFFs. I look forward to the company of my future doggo flight neighbours

Id like to draw attention to this recent incident on united. Owner took dog out of cage and the dog relived itself on nearby passenger.

A Dog Made a Disgusting Mess on a United Flight. But Who Should Clean It Up?

Fodor's provides expert travel content worth exploring so you can dream up your next trip. The world is a weird and wonderful place—we want to show you around.

www.fodors.com

I don’t understand why Virgin (or other airlines) are willing to expose themselves to this liability. A pet could ruin the flight for other passengers who then want compensation from Virgin. Surely this seems like a higher risk than the reward of allowing pets? I guess someone at VA doesn’t think so.

I have heard of passengers throwing up on someone next to them. Do they not allow passengers on the plane as well.

 

[hydrabyss]

This thread makes out that VA’s proposal is outrageous when in fact pets are taken on planes and trains in other counties without the mass meltdowns imagined by many of my fellow AFFs. I look forward to the company of my future doggo flight neighbours.

Funny thing is with all those talking about allergies the person next to them could have their clothes covered in pet hair and dander and they would be none the wiser.

 

[DC3]

Funny thing is with all those talking about allergies the person next to them could have their clothes covered in pet hair and dander and they would be none the wiser.

I think not. They’ll probably know all about it soon enough.

 

[Pushka]

This thread makes out that VA’s proposal is outrageous when in fact pets are taken on planes and trains in other counties without the mass meltdowns imagined by many of my fellow AFFs. I look forward to the company of my future doggo flight neighbours.

For those with allergies it is a very big deal. If people have never experienced the onset of contact then the reactions are immediate with eye swelling. Then it's the breathing for him. When I see Pet Friendlly listed as an accommodation feature I usually look for somewhere else to stay. Husband would know immediately if someone was covered in dog hair etc and would be reaching for the telfast. That covers him for an hour or so. After that then I don't know. If on a plane and the person next to him had a dog, he would have to leave the plane if no other seats available. No choice.

 

[DC3]

I look forward to the company of my future doggo flight neighbours.

Until it coughs everywhere

Post automatically merged: Mar 8, 2024

For those with allergies it is a very big deal.

Unfortunately, there are others who don’t seem to recognise this

 

[Healthy Traveller]

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!

 

[MARTINE]

Sadly everyone with access to a search engine now has led to use of clinically contextually terms like allergy being rendered meaningless.
“Its no more than a sniffle’or don't like a food -“I am allergic to coriander”

Like most things in medicine dose and context are important. Work at a vet clinic - expect to see animals. People who cant due to exacerbation of asthma self-select out. Not sure that close proximity to animals on a plane is a reasonable expectation (irrespective of filters etc).

I fully get pets are part of the family and the idea seems nice — but impractical. Guide dogs on planes is absolutely appropriate. They are well trained and owners are responsible by virtue of fact these animals enable their independence.

 

[RooFlyer]

While I've said that I think this is a bad move but Virgin, I don't think it'll be the catastrophe that many are making it.

Fitting under the seat in front will self limit to just a few eligible critters.

The animal in its cage will obviously get wanded, not put through the X ray .

Animals on planes, trains, restaurats and shops is very common overseas, and much freer that what is being proposed by Virgin. I've been the 'victim' of being in business with quite a large dog intruding on my foot space rather that at it's owners feet.

The problem, as always, will be the owners; we don't have the culture of traveling with animals like they do in other countries. There will be buffoons who want their animal on their lap etc. But I don't imagine these incidents will be any worse than we experience already.

 

[drron]

“In the event of an emergency evacuation, please leave all luggage and pets behind”

Are owners prepared for that? If not, leave them at home.

Indeed. in the US most airlines count your carry on pet as your carry on. Not so difficult in the us with ridiculous amounts of carry on but here in Australia that would become significant.
And in the US restrictions on pets have tightened up. It used to be basically open slather and I have had a problem sitting in row 2 on an AA plane when the labrador in Row 1 defaecated. It had a responsible owner as it was wearing a nappy. Unfortunately that didn't stop the odour. American now allows as pets only cats and dogs in a container that can fit under the seat in front. No collapsible containers and the pet has to stay in the cage at all times.

Then if an emergency the call is for all carry on to be left behind. As the pet is counted as carry on are you going to disobey the order or are you going to take your pet and slow down evacuation putting other people's lives at risk?

 

[zoraya_lane]

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!

Third world? The 1960s called and want their <redacted> terminology back mate.

 

[kyle]

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