Major update on pets on planes
A previous regulatory loophole that classed aeroplanes as restaurants, prohibited food and drink from being served when pet cats and dogs were present in the cabin.
However last month Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) approved Virgin's amendment to allow for pets.
'We assessed the microbiological food safety risks and found that, with appropriate risk management controls in place, the presence of pet cats and dogs in aircraft cabins presents a low risk to passengers,' a FSANZ statement read. Virgin Australia wants to become the country's first airline to operate domestic flights with pets in the cabin from next year. Pic Alex Coppel Credit: Supplied
'The amendment to the Code gives airlines operating in Australia and serving food in-flight the discretion to allow pet cats and dogs in aircraft cabins, provided all relevant food safety requirements are met.'
The service is expected to launch by the end of this year. Two rows will be designated on select flights for flyers travelling with pets.
Pets will be required to fit within a pet carrier which with the pet in it must weigh less than 8 kgs and fit under the plane seat in front.
A Virgin spokesperson said they were 'excited to have reached an important milestone' in the journey to offering a pets in cabin service. Brisbane food and travel influencer Jacqui Toumbas and Basil, who are waiting eagerly for Virgin Australia to allow pets in the cabin on domestic flights. Callie Marshall Credit: Supplied
'With this approval now in place, we are a step closer to welcoming pets on board select Virgin Australia flights, and we look forward to sharing more details with travellers about our trial flights in the coming months.'
In Australia, major carriers have never allowed leisure travel with pets before.
Travellers will need to book the pets trip in advance through Virgin's Guest Contact Centre and animals will need to stay inside their carrier for the duration of the flight.
Despite the amendment the ultimate authority to permit animals on a specific flight remains with the pilot in command.
According to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), pilots are accountable for the safety of all on-board and hold wide-ranging authority over passengers and cargo.
The ambiguity in the rules effectively grants captains the discretion to decline pets on a case-by-case basis including the ability to refuse the transport of animals – even certified assistance animals – in exceptional circumstances where safety or flight operations may be compromised.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
What should you be reading this week? Here are eight new books
Lee Atkinson. Hardie Grant. $45.00. Australians love a road trip, right? This book has 35 drives for those who want to leave Highway 1 and hit the back roads, with notes about towns and highlights, camping and caravanning spots and handy drive ratings that range in difficulty from easy to challenging. Admittedly, these are not trips to tackle in your Pop's Hillman Minx, but they don't necessarily require a heavy-duty four-wheel-drive either. Whether you hanker after the rainforests of Tasmania, croc country in the tropics or the corrugations and bulldust of the red centre, this book has plenty to whet your appetite for exploration. Riley Knight. Allen & Unwin. $29.99. We really shouldn't laugh at the misfortunes of others, but it's hard not to see the funny side in the story of a bloke who carked it after tripping on his beard in 1567. The author, host of the Half-Arsed History podcast, lists 50 weird examples of people popping their clogs, including Duke Godfrey IV of Lower Lorraine, who was killed in 1076 by a man hidden inside his medieval thunderbox. "Despite his evil intentions, you'll agree that this was an assassin who was truly dedicated to his craft." This book is a bit gruesome, a little crude, and unapologetically hilarious. Adam Courtenay. Hachette. $34.99. Bryce Courtenay was an Australian literary sensation, an adman-turned-author known for novels such as The Power of One and the deeply personal tribute April Fool's Day. But to his son Adam, he could be complex and often elusive, a man who was better and more comfortable "working with make-believe worlds than he was at explaining real ones". Adam Courtenay's memoir reveals the man behind the very public persona: the Bryce of false humility, the before-fame Bryce and the after-fame Bryce, the Bryce who craved love and adulation from everyone "and would say and do whatever it took to get it". Vicki Hastrich. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Zane Grey was one of the first superstar authors and the king of the Western. His dominance of the genre in books and films during the years between the two world wars raked in millions, allowing him to indulge his passion for big game fishing. That expensive pastime brought him to Australia twice in the 1930s. Grey chased world records off the NSW South Coast, where he helped to put Bermagui on the map, made a shark movie, White Death, at Hayman Island and later battled a great white off Port Lincoln. This is the story of his antipodean exploits. Gabriel Bergmoser. HarperCollins. $32.99. It's Die Hard meets The Raid, with an Australian accent on the humour, as rogue ex-cop Jack Carlin - a supporting character introduced in Gabriel Bergmoser's thrillers The Inheritance (2021) and The Caretaker (2023) - finds his year-long search for estranged daughter Morgan propelling him to the top floor of a derelict Melbourne high-rise. Morgan doesn't want to be saved - particularly not by her father - and half the city's criminal underworld is on his tail, but Jack kicks into John Wick/Jack Reacher mode through 15 storeys of fast, furious and ferocious action, the violence made more brutal and relentless in this nowhere-to-escape setting. Sam Guthrie. HarperCollins. $34.99. Zipping between the vibrant streets of Hong Kong, the shadowy corridors of power in Beijing and the backstabbing power plays of Parliament House in Canberra, this espionage thriller draws on former diplomat and trade official Sam Guthrie's extensive experience of China and insider knowledge of the workings of government. Focusing on the relationship between political fixer Charlie and government minister Sebastian, best friends since their brutal private school days, The Peak weaves a story of brotherly bonds betrayed and a suspenseful doomsday scenario into the real-life drama of Australia's diplomatic dance between geopolitical titans China and the US. Magdalena McGuire. Ultimo Press. $34.99. When passionate environmentalist Sapphie rescues a baby from the sea, she forms an intense friendship with the infant's struggling mother, Candace. But Alexia, Candace's friend, is dubious about this unconventional new woman in their lives. The internet suggests Sapphie doesn't exist, so what is she hiding? As each woman navigates her fears and desires to discover who they really are when it seems so much is against them - the environment, parenting, economic security, gender disparity - the novel's pacing allows the reader time to reflect deeply and meaningfully on the characters, draw connections and empathise with their struggles from different perspectives. Michelle Johnston. 4th Estate. $34.99. "Time rumbles. It's a low growl between the shoulder blades, in the bones, deep in the chest." This evocative epigraph sets the tone beautifully for a novel exploring the idea that you can never really hide from your past. Christine Campbell is a former journalist writing a memoir based on her acclaimed coverage of the 1999 unrest in the North Caucasus. When an estranged friend comes back into her life, uncomfortable truths surface from that fateful time and place. Johnston's storytelling is magnificent as she thoughtfully captures the essence of place while artfully entwining the two distinct time periods. Lee Atkinson. Hardie Grant. $45.00. Australians love a road trip, right? This book has 35 drives for those who want to leave Highway 1 and hit the back roads, with notes about towns and highlights, camping and caravanning spots and handy drive ratings that range in difficulty from easy to challenging. Admittedly, these are not trips to tackle in your Pop's Hillman Minx, but they don't necessarily require a heavy-duty four-wheel-drive either. Whether you hanker after the rainforests of Tasmania, croc country in the tropics or the corrugations and bulldust of the red centre, this book has plenty to whet your appetite for exploration. Riley Knight. Allen & Unwin. $29.99. We really shouldn't laugh at the misfortunes of others, but it's hard not to see the funny side in the story of a bloke who carked it after tripping on his beard in 1567. The author, host of the Half-Arsed History podcast, lists 50 weird examples of people popping their clogs, including Duke Godfrey IV of Lower Lorraine, who was killed in 1076 by a man hidden inside his medieval thunderbox. "Despite his evil intentions, you'll agree that this was an assassin who was truly dedicated to his craft." This book is a bit gruesome, a little crude, and unapologetically hilarious. Adam Courtenay. Hachette. $34.99. Bryce Courtenay was an Australian literary sensation, an adman-turned-author known for novels such as The Power of One and the deeply personal tribute April Fool's Day. But to his son Adam, he could be complex and often elusive, a man who was better and more comfortable "working with make-believe worlds than he was at explaining real ones". Adam Courtenay's memoir reveals the man behind the very public persona: the Bryce of false humility, the before-fame Bryce and the after-fame Bryce, the Bryce who craved love and adulation from everyone "and would say and do whatever it took to get it". Vicki Hastrich. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Zane Grey was one of the first superstar authors and the king of the Western. His dominance of the genre in books and films during the years between the two world wars raked in millions, allowing him to indulge his passion for big game fishing. That expensive pastime brought him to Australia twice in the 1930s. Grey chased world records off the NSW South Coast, where he helped to put Bermagui on the map, made a shark movie, White Death, at Hayman Island and later battled a great white off Port Lincoln. This is the story of his antipodean exploits. Gabriel Bergmoser. HarperCollins. $32.99. It's Die Hard meets The Raid, with an Australian accent on the humour, as rogue ex-cop Jack Carlin - a supporting character introduced in Gabriel Bergmoser's thrillers The Inheritance (2021) and The Caretaker (2023) - finds his year-long search for estranged daughter Morgan propelling him to the top floor of a derelict Melbourne high-rise. Morgan doesn't want to be saved - particularly not by her father - and half the city's criminal underworld is on his tail, but Jack kicks into John Wick/Jack Reacher mode through 15 storeys of fast, furious and ferocious action, the violence made more brutal and relentless in this nowhere-to-escape setting. Sam Guthrie. HarperCollins. $34.99. Zipping between the vibrant streets of Hong Kong, the shadowy corridors of power in Beijing and the backstabbing power plays of Parliament House in Canberra, this espionage thriller draws on former diplomat and trade official Sam Guthrie's extensive experience of China and insider knowledge of the workings of government. Focusing on the relationship between political fixer Charlie and government minister Sebastian, best friends since their brutal private school days, The Peak weaves a story of brotherly bonds betrayed and a suspenseful doomsday scenario into the real-life drama of Australia's diplomatic dance between geopolitical titans China and the US. Magdalena McGuire. Ultimo Press. $34.99. When passionate environmentalist Sapphie rescues a baby from the sea, she forms an intense friendship with the infant's struggling mother, Candace. But Alexia, Candace's friend, is dubious about this unconventional new woman in their lives. The internet suggests Sapphie doesn't exist, so what is she hiding? As each woman navigates her fears and desires to discover who they really are when it seems so much is against them - the environment, parenting, economic security, gender disparity - the novel's pacing allows the reader time to reflect deeply and meaningfully on the characters, draw connections and empathise with their struggles from different perspectives. Michelle Johnston. 4th Estate. $34.99. "Time rumbles. It's a low growl between the shoulder blades, in the bones, deep in the chest." This evocative epigraph sets the tone beautifully for a novel exploring the idea that you can never really hide from your past. Christine Campbell is a former journalist writing a memoir based on her acclaimed coverage of the 1999 unrest in the North Caucasus. When an estranged friend comes back into her life, uncomfortable truths surface from that fateful time and place. Johnston's storytelling is magnificent as she thoughtfully captures the essence of place while artfully entwining the two distinct time periods. Lee Atkinson. Hardie Grant. $45.00. Australians love a road trip, right? This book has 35 drives for those who want to leave Highway 1 and hit the back roads, with notes about towns and highlights, camping and caravanning spots and handy drive ratings that range in difficulty from easy to challenging. Admittedly, these are not trips to tackle in your Pop's Hillman Minx, but they don't necessarily require a heavy-duty four-wheel-drive either. Whether you hanker after the rainforests of Tasmania, croc country in the tropics or the corrugations and bulldust of the red centre, this book has plenty to whet your appetite for exploration. Riley Knight. Allen & Unwin. $29.99. We really shouldn't laugh at the misfortunes of others, but it's hard not to see the funny side in the story of a bloke who carked it after tripping on his beard in 1567. The author, host of the Half-Arsed History podcast, lists 50 weird examples of people popping their clogs, including Duke Godfrey IV of Lower Lorraine, who was killed in 1076 by a man hidden inside his medieval thunderbox. "Despite his evil intentions, you'll agree that this was an assassin who was truly dedicated to his craft." This book is a bit gruesome, a little crude, and unapologetically hilarious. Adam Courtenay. Hachette. $34.99. Bryce Courtenay was an Australian literary sensation, an adman-turned-author known for novels such as The Power of One and the deeply personal tribute April Fool's Day. But to his son Adam, he could be complex and often elusive, a man who was better and more comfortable "working with make-believe worlds than he was at explaining real ones". Adam Courtenay's memoir reveals the man behind the very public persona: the Bryce of false humility, the before-fame Bryce and the after-fame Bryce, the Bryce who craved love and adulation from everyone "and would say and do whatever it took to get it". Vicki Hastrich. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Zane Grey was one of the first superstar authors and the king of the Western. His dominance of the genre in books and films during the years between the two world wars raked in millions, allowing him to indulge his passion for big game fishing. That expensive pastime brought him to Australia twice in the 1930s. Grey chased world records off the NSW South Coast, where he helped to put Bermagui on the map, made a shark movie, White Death, at Hayman Island and later battled a great white off Port Lincoln. This is the story of his antipodean exploits. Gabriel Bergmoser. HarperCollins. $32.99. It's Die Hard meets The Raid, with an Australian accent on the humour, as rogue ex-cop Jack Carlin - a supporting character introduced in Gabriel Bergmoser's thrillers The Inheritance (2021) and The Caretaker (2023) - finds his year-long search for estranged daughter Morgan propelling him to the top floor of a derelict Melbourne high-rise. Morgan doesn't want to be saved - particularly not by her father - and half the city's criminal underworld is on his tail, but Jack kicks into John Wick/Jack Reacher mode through 15 storeys of fast, furious and ferocious action, the violence made more brutal and relentless in this nowhere-to-escape setting. Sam Guthrie. HarperCollins. $34.99. Zipping between the vibrant streets of Hong Kong, the shadowy corridors of power in Beijing and the backstabbing power plays of Parliament House in Canberra, this espionage thriller draws on former diplomat and trade official Sam Guthrie's extensive experience of China and insider knowledge of the workings of government. Focusing on the relationship between political fixer Charlie and government minister Sebastian, best friends since their brutal private school days, The Peak weaves a story of brotherly bonds betrayed and a suspenseful doomsday scenario into the real-life drama of Australia's diplomatic dance between geopolitical titans China and the US. Magdalena McGuire. Ultimo Press. $34.99. When passionate environmentalist Sapphie rescues a baby from the sea, she forms an intense friendship with the infant's struggling mother, Candace. But Alexia, Candace's friend, is dubious about this unconventional new woman in their lives. The internet suggests Sapphie doesn't exist, so what is she hiding? As each woman navigates her fears and desires to discover who they really are when it seems so much is against them - the environment, parenting, economic security, gender disparity - the novel's pacing allows the reader time to reflect deeply and meaningfully on the characters, draw connections and empathise with their struggles from different perspectives. Michelle Johnston. 4th Estate. $34.99. "Time rumbles. It's a low growl between the shoulder blades, in the bones, deep in the chest." This evocative epigraph sets the tone beautifully for a novel exploring the idea that you can never really hide from your past. Christine Campbell is a former journalist writing a memoir based on her acclaimed coverage of the 1999 unrest in the North Caucasus. When an estranged friend comes back into her life, uncomfortable truths surface from that fateful time and place. Johnston's storytelling is magnificent as she thoughtfully captures the essence of place while artfully entwining the two distinct time periods. Lee Atkinson. Hardie Grant. $45.00. Australians love a road trip, right? This book has 35 drives for those who want to leave Highway 1 and hit the back roads, with notes about towns and highlights, camping and caravanning spots and handy drive ratings that range in difficulty from easy to challenging. Admittedly, these are not trips to tackle in your Pop's Hillman Minx, but they don't necessarily require a heavy-duty four-wheel-drive either. Whether you hanker after the rainforests of Tasmania, croc country in the tropics or the corrugations and bulldust of the red centre, this book has plenty to whet your appetite for exploration. Riley Knight. Allen & Unwin. $29.99. We really shouldn't laugh at the misfortunes of others, but it's hard not to see the funny side in the story of a bloke who carked it after tripping on his beard in 1567. The author, host of the Half-Arsed History podcast, lists 50 weird examples of people popping their clogs, including Duke Godfrey IV of Lower Lorraine, who was killed in 1076 by a man hidden inside his medieval thunderbox. "Despite his evil intentions, you'll agree that this was an assassin who was truly dedicated to his craft." This book is a bit gruesome, a little crude, and unapologetically hilarious. Adam Courtenay. Hachette. $34.99. Bryce Courtenay was an Australian literary sensation, an adman-turned-author known for novels such as The Power of One and the deeply personal tribute April Fool's Day. But to his son Adam, he could be complex and often elusive, a man who was better and more comfortable "working with make-believe worlds than he was at explaining real ones". Adam Courtenay's memoir reveals the man behind the very public persona: the Bryce of false humility, the before-fame Bryce and the after-fame Bryce, the Bryce who craved love and adulation from everyone "and would say and do whatever it took to get it". Vicki Hastrich. Allen & Unwin. $34.99. Zane Grey was one of the first superstar authors and the king of the Western. His dominance of the genre in books and films during the years between the two world wars raked in millions, allowing him to indulge his passion for big game fishing. That expensive pastime brought him to Australia twice in the 1930s. Grey chased world records off the NSW South Coast, where he helped to put Bermagui on the map, made a shark movie, White Death, at Hayman Island and later battled a great white off Port Lincoln. This is the story of his antipodean exploits. Gabriel Bergmoser. HarperCollins. $32.99. It's Die Hard meets The Raid, with an Australian accent on the humour, as rogue ex-cop Jack Carlin - a supporting character introduced in Gabriel Bergmoser's thrillers The Inheritance (2021) and The Caretaker (2023) - finds his year-long search for estranged daughter Morgan propelling him to the top floor of a derelict Melbourne high-rise. Morgan doesn't want to be saved - particularly not by her father - and half the city's criminal underworld is on his tail, but Jack kicks into John Wick/Jack Reacher mode through 15 storeys of fast, furious and ferocious action, the violence made more brutal and relentless in this nowhere-to-escape setting. Sam Guthrie. HarperCollins. $34.99. Zipping between the vibrant streets of Hong Kong, the shadowy corridors of power in Beijing and the backstabbing power plays of Parliament House in Canberra, this espionage thriller draws on former diplomat and trade official Sam Guthrie's extensive experience of China and insider knowledge of the workings of government. Focusing on the relationship between political fixer Charlie and government minister Sebastian, best friends since their brutal private school days, The Peak weaves a story of brotherly bonds betrayed and a suspenseful doomsday scenario into the real-life drama of Australia's diplomatic dance between geopolitical titans China and the US. Magdalena McGuire. Ultimo Press. $34.99. When passionate environmentalist Sapphie rescues a baby from the sea, she forms an intense friendship with the infant's struggling mother, Candace. But Alexia, Candace's friend, is dubious about this unconventional new woman in their lives. The internet suggests Sapphie doesn't exist, so what is she hiding? As each woman navigates her fears and desires to discover who they really are when it seems so much is against them - the environment, parenting, economic security, gender disparity - the novel's pacing allows the reader time to reflect deeply and meaningfully on the characters, draw connections and empathise with their struggles from different perspectives. Michelle Johnston. 4th Estate. $34.99. "Time rumbles. It's a low growl between the shoulder blades, in the bones, deep in the chest." This evocative epigraph sets the tone beautifully for a novel exploring the idea that you can never really hide from your past. Christine Campbell is a former journalist writing a memoir based on her acclaimed coverage of the 1999 unrest in the North Caucasus. When an estranged friend comes back into her life, uncomfortable truths surface from that fateful time and place. Johnston's storytelling is magnificent as she thoughtfully captures the essence of place while artfully entwining the two distinct time periods.
The Age
10 hours ago
- The Age
This must be one of America's easiest – and most stylish
The airport Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), California. The flight Delta Air Lines DL1302 from Palm Springs to Minneapolis. The departure It's not often you fly out of an airport that's less than 10 minutes' drive from the city's downtown area. In Palm Springs, the distance from downtown to drop-off is about three kilometres. Uber and other ride-share services are plentiful and reasonably priced (about $US17 [$A26]). Taxis and public transport are also available. The look The airport is a great example of modernist architecture which has become the trademark of Palm Springs. Architect Donald Wexler designed many of the homes and public buildings that went up in Palm Springs in the 1950s and '60s. The commission to design the airport was a highlight of his career. A sunny, bright Californian ambience is created with indoor-outdoor spaces, palm trees, water features, simple lines and the use of steel and glass. Views of the surrounding mountains give an immediate sense of place. The Sonny Bono Concourse, added in 1999, and named for the late singer, congressman and former mayor of Palm Springs, stays true to the mid-century aesthetic. Check-in Easy, breezy. Either I'm here on an especially chill day or this is one of the easiest airports in the US to navigate. I've checked in online via the Delta app, so all I have to do now is print out a bag tag and use the bag-drop lane to send my suitcase on its way. No lines, no stress. The airport hosts 13 airlines that provide non-stop flights to and from 30 destinations, including seasonal non-stop flights to Washington DC and New York's JFK, yet it feels remarkably uncrowded. Security I'll be travelling on a US domestic flight, but it's still a requirement to show my Australian passport at the security checkpoint. The date set for compliance in the US with the Real ID Act was May 7, this year, so it is now mandatory for all travellers on US flights to show a passport, military ID or other acceptable form of identification. There is no queue at the hand luggage screening machine and I'm on the airside of the airport in about five minutes. Food + drink Plenty of choices, at the usual airport-inflated prices. Coachella Valley Coffee serves local brew, while Nine Cities Craft specialises in craft beer. Food options include Mexican from Las Casuelas Terraza, sandwiches from Fig & Plum and Palm Springs-inspired dishes at Cactus to Clouds. I join the line at a water refill station to top up my bottle. Retail therapy PSP plans a $US2.2 billion expansion to add new features and double passenger capacity. As part of modernisation works, new retail stores have recently opened, stocking quality destination-themed items. Pick up colourful resort wear and spa goodies at Las Palmas Oasis; Hey Joshua is the spot for handmade jewellery inspired by Joshua Tree. InMotion has tech items from Apple, Sony, Bose and other brands. My favourite souvenir is a 'Palm Spraaangs' T-shirt from Uptown Essentials. Passing time Impressive indoor and outdoor art installations are worth a look, including a dazzling glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly, a bronze sundial and a painted bighorn sheep figure. The collection showcases artists of the Coachella Valley and the wider region. Directly on airport property, the Palm Springs Air Museum will appeal to aviation enthusiasts and war history buffs. There are flight simulators, vintage planes and veteran volunteers who are keen to chat. Airport Wi-Fi is fast and free. The verdict
Sydney Morning Herald
10 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
This must be one of America's easiest – and most stylish
Check-in Easy, breezy. Either I'm here on an especially chill day or this is one of the easiest airports in the US to navigate. I've checked in online via the Delta app, so all I have to do now is print out a bag tag and use the bag-drop lane to send my suitcase on its way. No lines, no stress. The airport hosts 13 airlines that provide non-stop flights to and from 30 destinations, including seasonal non-stop flights to Washington DC and New York's JFK, yet it feels remarkably uncrowded. Security I'll be travelling on a US domestic flight, but it's still a requirement to show my Australian passport at the security checkpoint. The date set for compliance in the US with the Real ID Act was May 7, this year, so it is now mandatory for all travellers on US flights to show a passport, military ID or other acceptable form of identification. There is no queue at the hand luggage screening machine and I'm on the airside of the airport in about five minutes. Food + drink Plenty of choices, at the usual airport-inflated prices. Coachella Valley Coffee serves local brew, while Nine Cities Craft specialises in craft beer. Food options include Mexican from Las Casuelas Terraza, sandwiches from Fig & Plum and Palm Springs-inspired dishes at Cactus to Clouds. I join the line at a water refill station to top up my bottle. Retail therapy PSP plans a $US2.2 billion expansion to add new features and double passenger capacity. As part of modernisation works, new retail stores have recently opened, stocking quality destination-themed items. Pick up colourful resort wear and spa goodies at Las Palmas Oasis; Hey Joshua is the spot for handmade jewellery inspired by Joshua Tree. InMotion has tech items from Apple, Sony, Bose and other brands. My favourite souvenir is a 'Palm Spraaangs' T-shirt from Uptown Essentials. Loading Passing time Impressive indoor and outdoor art installations are worth a look, including a dazzling glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly, a bronze sundial and a painted bighorn sheep figure. The collection showcases artists of the Coachella Valley and the wider region. Directly on airport property, the Palm Springs Air Museum will appeal to aviation enthusiasts and war history buffs. There are flight simulators, vintage planes and veteran volunteers who are keen to chat. Airport Wi-Fi is fast and free. The verdict
