Pets in the Cabin - Coming soon on Virgin Australia

[FlyingKangaroo]

The US DOT/courts have also ruled that pet dander is so prevalent in public spaces that airline cabins are no more or less at risk.

So the allergy angle has been ruled out in the USA… and given that’s one of the most litigious countries in the world… if they can’t prevent the carriage of let’s on that ground, it would be hard pressed to get the argument up anywhere else.

In the same vein, it's not illegal to travel with or eat foods that can pose real danger to other passengers who may be allergic to them. Some airlines may choose not to serve them and some are willing to make announcements asking passengers not to eat them, but again, society requires cooperation and balance.

Still, I acknowledge that there could be situations where a severely allergic passenger has real concerns sitting so close to a cat or dog, or where someone might simply be afraid of them. Again, though: balance, and these situations are likely to be infrequent enough that they can be reasonably managed in the moment.

This change of policy isn't suddenly turning Virgin into a flying Petbarn.

 

[Chicken]

That sign is a bit short on some details. Can I bring my assistance camel on board?

Sure, for NSW, if your camel is signed off by one of the authorised training organizations.

C: is really vague. My animal reduces my anxiety that the ferry might sink. What benchmark is “appropriate for an animal in a public place”

This is considered assistance animal, and does not have access rights.

I appreciate that for some, allergies especially can be a real concern.

Virgin says: "As a pet-parent you'll be assigned one of our pet-friendly seats: 18A, 18F, 20A, or 20F"

So can sit far away from them already, if you want to.

I also appreciate that there are genuine situations where it's not possible or very traumatising to a small animal to travel in the hold

Then their owners would not be flying their pets anyway.

I am just one anecdote, but it feels like there is a lot of jumping at shadows happening at the moment.

I would say this is what I read from an article a few days ago, I think from SMH The Age, pointing out how people no longer have an opinion based on their original world view or beliefs, but it is about tribual, so if people I see as opposite of me say A, I would say B, even thou my world view actually supports A. It's outrage for outrage sake.

If someone has so much problem with a pet in row 18 when they are in row 2 or row 35, I wonder how do they function on a day to day basis?
- farmers love their dogs, and often take their dogs to the pub or the shops on weekends. How do these people go to the pub in the country or farmers markets?
- When I go to a pub in the country, or go to the cafe in the city, there are dogs everywhere. Where do they eat when travelling to country areas if they don't go to the pubs and don't go to the cafes and don't go to food carts?
- if they live in the city, there are dogs walking around everywhere. Do they duck whenever they see a dog?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

- if they live in the city, there are dogs walking around everywhere. Do they duck whenever they see a dog?

Exactly the point in the USA… and likely an aircraft with its HEPA filters is a better environment than being on the street!

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Then their owners would not be flying their pets anyway.

I would say this is what I read from an article a few days ago, I think from SMH The Age, pointing out how people no longer have an opinion based on their original world view or beliefs, but it is about tribual, so if people I see as opposite of me say A, I would say B, even thou my world view actually supports A. It's outrage for outrage sake.

If someone has so much problem with a pet in row 18 when they are in row 2 or row 35, I wonder how do they function on a day to day basis?
- farmers love their dogs, and often take their dogs to the pub or the shops on weekends. How do these people go to the pub in the country or farmers markets?
- When I go to a pub in the country, or go to the cafe in the city, there are dogs everywhere. Where do they eat when travelling to country areas if they don't go to the pubs and don't go to the cafes and don't go to food carts?
- if they live in the city, there are dogs walking around everywhere. Do they duck whenever they see a dog?

When I moved from Canada to the Netherlands, my dog did not enjoy the trip. We had to go. So yes, people may have to fly their pets even when the pets loathe it, but the point is that situations may require it and that for many pets, being in the cabin near their owner is going to be far less scary.

Agree on polarisation of issues often based on perceived tribe or narrative, and with the rest.

 

[Chicken]

When I moved from Canada to the Netherlands, my dog did not enjoy the trip.

Who enjoys flying? Not me. Not even when sitting at the front.

for many pets, being in the cabin near their owner is going to be far less scary.

Hell yeah. If I were a pet, being put into a cage I have never seen before, then seeing all these silver air freight containers, what would I be thinking? I would be thinking that I'm heading for the abattoir!

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Hell yeah. If I were a pet, being put into a cage I have never seen before, then seeing all these silver air freight containers, what would I be thinking? I would be thinking that I'm heading for the abattoir!

Incidentally, the dog was just slightly too big for the cabin and had to fly underneath. You never realise just how many strange noises there are on an aircraft until you're listening to them and imagining it from your pet's perspective in the hold! I was also not a man of many means back then and could only afford to fly Icelandair which meant the poor thing had to do it all twice.

 

[Beano]

If someone has so much problem with a pet in row 18 when they are in row 2 or row 35, I wonder how do they function on a day to day basis?
- farmers love their dogs, and often take their dogs to the pub or the shops on weekends. How do these people go to the pub in the country or farmers markets?
- When I go to a pub in the country, or go to the cafe in the city, there are dogs everywhere. Where do they eat when travelling to country areas if they don't go to the pubs and don't go to the cafes and don't go to food carts?
- if they live in the city, there are dogs walking around everywhere. Do they duck whenever they see a dog?

In those situations you can leave or hurry past and quickly gone if uncomfortable with pets. You're kind of stuck on a plane!

 

[Chicken]

In those situations you can leave or hurry past and quickly gone if uncomfortable with pets. You're kind of stuck on a plane!

I don't know where you can leave to. You have to walk past these animals at the front doors of pubs and cafes, and in a market they are just everywhere, and outside a rural store, every second car has a dog on the tray or sticking its head out from the cab.

If you are on a plane, you can just sit somewhere else, no difference from sitting inside a pub instead of outside.

 

[Beano]

I don't know where you can leave to. You have to walk past these animals at the front doors of pubs and cafes, and in a market they are just everywhere, and outside a rural store, every second car has a dog on the tray or sticking its head out from the cab.

If you are on a plane, you can just sit somewhere else, no difference from sitting inside a pub instead of outside.

I'm also thinking of those in close proximity or if you change flights and find yourself at the rear as I have been. Out there you can take a wide berth, and contact is over quickly.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I'd imagine the same as what happens as a passenger breaking any other rules on a plane. They'd get a talking to. If they don't comply they'd be forced and met by police on landing. It's not really rocket science.

You mean the owner, of course, eh?
===---===
Was on a Qf/VA flight PER to ADL once, few years ago now, it was a 737, I think it was, and I heard barking and howling from down below, that poor thing must have been a very restless anxious pooch, down there, and I wasnt dreaming either.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm also thinking of those in close proximity or if you change flights and find yourself at the rear as I have been. Out there you can take a wide berth, and contact is over quickly.

But the ‘danger’ more than likely comes from sitting next to a cat owner on a plane, rather than the animal down at floor level.

The dander on a cat owner’s clothes is likely to be significant, and at face level. Even if they don’t have a cat or dog with them.