Should companion animals be allowed in the human cargo hold on Australian domestic flights?

[Quickstatus]

Small dogs and cats?
Not sure about cabin crew trained in animal first aid or whether an aircraft should be diverted if animal medical emergency occurs

 

[kelvedon]

Emirates has a Horse transport service available for charter. I'm sure there's enough room in a horse container for most emotional support animals

Emirates SkyCargo

www.skycargo.com

 

[robtemt]

Emirates has a Horse transport service available for charter. I'm sure there's enough room in a horse container for most emotional support animals

Emirates SkyCargo

www.skycargo.com

..... and their owners.

 

[Denali]

I think there are people with very real issues that would benefit from having a well trained animal with them - it brings them better quality of life.

But, like most things in the world, the few screw it up for the majority so unless its very highly trained (ie guide or seizure dog ect) and certified by a real agency, any rules being changed to allow in cabin animals is going to be taken advantage of by the selfish masses instantly.

 

[Lynda2475]

So long as you have med cert to say you are cat allergic, the airline could easily make arrangements either for you or the cat.

Airlines have separated the allergic passenger and animal as far as possible within the cabin, limited the number of animals within the cabin, booked allergic passenger on later flights or arranged for the animal to go freight. There are options and its nothing new.

Sorry someones cat should never ever have higher priority over a person. If im booking a flight for work Im not going to travel later and miss meetings or if travelling for leisure shorten my vacation because of a cat that shouldnt be on board.

People with cat allergies react to the dandur (and saliva) and dandur can easily escape a carrier (or the cat could spit through the carrier especially if agitated and hissing), given the extremely limited cleaning that happens on planes, a passenger could react to a cat that was on the plane earlier in the day or week.

I sincerely hope no Aussie ariline ever allows cats in the cabin. If you want to take your pet (there is no plausible argument of a cat being a genuine assistance animal) then check them as freight, or drive or take the train. Your anxiety might be eased by travelling with your ball of allergins, but this doesnt gve you the right to cause physcial symptoms in others.

 

[woodborer]

Airlines have separated the allergic passenger and animal as far as possible within the cabin, limited the number of animals within the cabin, booked allergic passenger on later flights or arranged for the animal to go freight. There are options and its nothing new.

While I hope we never get to the stage of having cats and rats and elephants and long neck geese on planes, it is the cat that should be taking the later flight.

 

[milehighclub]

CASA has this strictly regulated and is limited to guide dogs only in the cabin.

 

[theblank]

i might be missing something, whats the "human cargo hold" is this where I can get my mother in law on for the cost of excess baggage?
I realise many do think of their MIL as excess baggage

 

[Quickstatus]

its the self loading freight section.
In the end its just payload. Often freight is more profitable than the self loading kind.

 

[ALH]

Reaction to animals in human cargo hold:

Can you believe that young woman (with the 2 small dogs)…."I feel bad for her if she has allergies, but it can't possible be that bad"!

WTFF? Some people should just not open their mouths.

For what it's worth, I have a (non serious) allergy to fragrance, and just having someone walking past me in the street with strong fragrance can put me out of action for a couple of hours. Searing headache, loss of breath, heart pounding, itchy skin.

If I had pet allergy I wouldn't be flying anywhere within the USA. I'm surprised the woman with the allergies was fighting so hard to stay on board and suffer

 

[robtemt]

Searing headache, loss of breath, heart pounding, itchy skin.

That’s a non-severe allergy? I wish more of my patients and been as tough as you!!! “I’ll be alright, give me a couple of hours, I’m sure I’ll regain my vision”.

For the record in this thread, I am:
1) a total animal lover and a sucker for any dog who wants a good pat, head scratch, or belly rub
2) Empathetic to anyone afraid of dogs, cats, or allergic to them
3) Intolerant of anyone who can’t respect those who don’t want to be around their pet, or who abuse the ESA system.

 

[robtemt]

My MIL thinks it's all in my mind and continues to destroy my dinner parties with perfume that smells like sweet fly spray. I have to take antihistamines and go outside until the worst of it subsides.

Don't get me started on MIL, need a different thread (or DO we?). Ours lives in an attached granny flat on our property.

Regardless of pets, MIL, or strangers, I feel for you. I always have a nasal spray and bottle of histamines.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What kind of animal do you actually envisage carrying qs ?
Do you think the rspca would condone a pup in a bag under the seat for ?? hours
What if it throws up.. or goes to the toilet… or has a conniption like the bulldog ?

The Europeans have been managing to carry pets in the cabin for... well... ever. They don't seem to have problems, why do we?