VIRGIN Australia’s move to launch selected flights that allow pets on board has proved to be overwhelmingly popular, the carrier’s Head of Marketing Libby Minogue has revealed.
Speaking at FACTS in Sydney, Minogue confirmed the routes and flights available are already sold out over Christmas, and expansion beyond the two routes from Melbourne is very much on
the cards for 2026.
“We are looking to roll out [the pet service] nationally next year through different ports,” she said.
“Guests absolutely love it, and what is really interesting is that we have had no complaints from non-pet travelling guests.
“We were very aware to make sure the experience was not going to impact our other guests on board, so that feedback has been very pleasing to date.”
Minogue also provided more insight into the rationale for going ahead with the service while its rival Qantas is yet to pull the trigger on such a move.
“If you look at our history we are a challenger brand, so for us we really have to continue to innovate, test, learn and understand what’s important to our guests,” Minogue explained.
“We looked at what are some new initiatives customers would like us to do, and when you look at Europe or the US, passengers can travel with their pets on board.
“So we did a huge amount of research in the Australian market beforehand…and we got a lot of positive reaction around it.”
VA has piloted the new pet-friendly flights on two routes from Melbourne since Sep, with the city getting the nod because of its high rate of pet ownership.
Nationwide, Australia also enjoys a strong love affair with animals, with 70% of households owning a furry friend.
One major hurdle VA had to jump in order to get the idea off the ground was passing strict regulatory and health criteria.
“It took us a while because when you think about regulators and the food and beverage on board, we spent a lot of time working with our stakeholders to ensure that we had an experience that worked for our staff in the airports and for our guests”.
Minogue also stressed that despite what Aussies may have seen on platforms like TiktTok around “menageries on flights”, she assured the market that was not the plan for VA
