Qantas has confirmed it will not allow pets to travel in passenger cabins, citing strong customer feedback against the practice. The airline’s chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, stated this position while speaking in Toulouse, France, ahead of the rollout of the new Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights from Perth. These flights, lasting more than 20 hours, will not permit pets in the cabin. Instead, pets traveling internationally on Qantas flights will be accommodated in specially designed cargo holds, consistent with the current practice across its network.
Hudson highlighted that domestically, around 60 percent of Qantas customers are traveling for business purposes and expressed a clear preference for pet-free cabins. This feedback has influenced the airline’s strict policy to maintain a pet-free environment in passenger areas.
In contrast, rival carrier Virgin Australia has recently introduced pet-friendly flights, allowing small cats and dogs to travel in the cabin on select routes. The airline’s first pet-friendly service departed from Adelaide with two chihuahuas aboard. Virgin Australia permits up to four pets on flights between Adelaide, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast, provided the total weight does not exceed 8 kilograms and the animals remain in carriers stowed under the seat. The service, which requires a fee of $149 per pet, is also available on flights between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast, with plans to extend to airports including Launceston and Canberra.
The announcement comes amid broader scrutiny of the Australian aviation sector. The federal government’s behavioural economics team, BETA, released results from its inaugural national aviation consumer survey conducted in August 2025. The survey, which involved over 7,600 respondents, revealed that just 56 percent had flown commercially in the previous year. Among those who traveled, 77 percent expressed satisfaction with airline services and 78 percent felt positively about airport facilities. Passengers cited booking and boarding processes as highlights, while airline customer service received the lowest ratings.
The survey also found a general lack of understanding about consumer rights related to air travel, though most passengers were aware of entitlements following disruptions such as refunds or vouchers. Samantha Palmer, the interim aviation consumer ombudsman, indicated the survey will be conducted annually to monitor public sentiment toward air travel.
Meanwhile, a Senate committee has recommended new aviation consumer protection laws proceed, despite concerns from airlines that the measures could increase operational costs and regulatory complexity. The ongoing developments underline the evolving landscape of air travel in Australia, balancing customer preferences with regulatory oversight.