All Nippon Airways May Offer Pet-Friendly Flights

Soon travelers may be able to tow their furry friends along with them on international flights, pending individual airline regulations and customer comfort. Following the success of a recent trial conducted by All Nippon Airways, travelers are now allowed to board and fly with man’s best friend when flying the Japanese airline.

As part of the trial, ANA featured a package deal to allow passengers to fly onboard a charter plane with their pets and spend two nights on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The price tag was $2,200, but for animal lovers, the trial flight was priceless as tickets were completely sold out within two days of listing the offer.

Dogs onboard this trial flight enjoyed open-caged seating in window seats, and an on-board veterinarian was present in case of any canine emergencies.
ANA banned all animals on board in 1995 due to passenger complaints about allergies and sensitivities. Since the success of the recently completed trial flight, ANA hopes to offer more pet-friendly flights in the future, but with adequate information available to passengers about the routine and deep cleaning performed between flights.

Considering how expensive dog sitters can be and how concerning it is to drug your pet before locking them in a cage to go below the airplane, pets on board seems like a welcome trend for animal lovers.