Virgin Australia will soon allow small cats and dogs to fly in the cabin, becoming the first airline in Australia to let pets travel alongside their owners onboard.

Virgin Australia Will Allow Cats And Dogs In Cabin By Christmas

Virgin Australia has received final approval from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to begin allowing small pets to travel in the cabin on select domestic flights before the end of the year. The change makes Virgin the first major Australian carrier to introduce in-cabin pet travel and brings Australia more in line with practices already common in the United States and Europe.

How It Will Work

• Only small cats and dogs will be allowed onboard, and pets must be at least eight weeks old.
• The combined weight of the pet and carrier must not exceed 8 kg (17.6 lbs).
• Pets must remain fully enclosed in a soft-sided airline-approved carrier that fits under the seat in front of the passenger.
• Each flight will have a limited number of pet-designated rows, all located in the economy cabin (not in business class, extra-legroom, or exit rows).
• Passengers must pre-book their pet through the Virgin Australia Guest Contact Centre, and the pet counts as one carry-on item.
• The pilot in command retains final authority to deny pet boarding for safety reasons.

What Changed?

The biggest hurdle had been Australia’s food safety regulations, which previously classified aircraft as food preparation areas and banned animals from spaces where food is served. FSANZ has now amended the code, concluding that with proper controls, the presence of pets in cabin poses a low risk to public health.

This marks a major shift in Australian aviation. While service animals have always been allowed in cabin, non-service cats and dogs have been limited to the cargo hold…until now.

Why It Matters

Virgin Australia cited internal research that showed nearly 70% of pet owners would fly more often if they could bring their pets in the cabin. The airline says it expects strong demand and views the new policy as a way to enhance the travel experience for animal lovers while also expanding its customer base.

CEO Dave Emerson called the update a “milestone” and emphasized that Virgin is committed to maintaining a balance between pet-friendly policies and the comfort of all passengers.

Not everyone is thrilled. Some travelers have raised concerns about allergies, barking, and hygiene issues. Virgin says it will clean aircraft more frequently and limit the number of pets onboard per flight to reduce potential disruptions.

CONCLUSION

Virgin Australia’s decision to allow in-cabin pets is a groundbreaking development in Australian aviation. While details are still rolling out, the policy is set to launch before Christmas 2025 and may signal broader changes ahead for other airlines in the region. For pet lovers, it’s welcome news. For others, it could take some getting used to.

When I first saw these headlines, I thought Virgin Australia was going to allow pets to travel as humans out of cages…but then I remembered most of the world takes a lot more sensible approach to pet travel than the USA. That said, the way people are attached to their dogs suggests to me that there is a great market for the carrier that can figure out how to pamper dog owners without alienating the rest of the aircraft…

image: Virgin Australia