No, dogs shouldn’t be allowed in the cabin of a plane: Cameron England

Airline bosses are making noises about allowing pets on planes, but letting Fido fly upfront is a dog of an idea, writes Cameron England.

I’d argue that on balance, adding a dog to almost any situation makes it better.

Dogs are great. The song is right, they really are the best people.

But there are some obvious exceptions to this rule: orchestral productions; visits to the dentist; trips to the cat cafe – all better without a dog.

And maybe at the top of the list would be sitting in a small metal tube flying through the air at 900km/h with a bunch of other humans who occasionally aren’t themselves well-enough socialised to get along, let you alone adding their pets into the mix.

The issue of whether pets will soon be allowed to ride along with their owners in the cabin of domestic planes has arisen this week with Virgin Australia conducting a poll on social media asking whether people would support the idea of allowing pets to travel in airliner cabins.

And probably not surprisingly, people were pretty supportive of the idea, with 68 per cent of respondents in favour.

Allowing pets on planes a ruff idea or a great innovation? Let us know what you think.

This follows the Civil Aviation Authority, from December 2 this year, allowing airlines and pilots-in-command to decide whether pets should be able to travel in aircraft cabins.

I get the attraction – transporting your dog interstate in the cargo hold feels pretty inhumane, and being able to easily take your dog on interstate trips would be pretty great.

What wouldn’t be so great is a chihuahua v Siamese throwdown in Row H in the middle of the food service.

Service animals are an entirely separate issue – they tend to be well-trained and socialised, and their relatively low numbers mean they’re not likely to rub up against each other too much anyway.

What’s all this carry-on?

But casting random cats and dogs into an unfamiliar environment from which they can’t escape – and neither can we – for hours on end is a recipe for chaos.

Consider the issues that arise: aggressive or poorly socialised animals, allergies, the sudden realisation your dog suffers from airsickness, and the clear and present and odoriferous risk posed by what to do when nature calls.

Where will pets hang out before and after flights, and will they gracefully submit to walking through the metal detectors in an orderly fashion?

Who would you rather sit next to?

The Australian is reporting that Rex Airlines chairman John Sharp said he believes the issue will come down to money, saying that if people were prepared to pay for it, it would probably happen eventually.

In reality, it’s probably the struggling airlines’ desire for new revenue streams – and who can blame them – which is behind the push.

Numerous airlines around the world already allow pets on planes. Good for them. I’ve also shared public transport in various countries with chickens and pigs.

It was different and pretty amusing at the time, but I don’t really want to do it every day on my morning commute.

Same goes with dogs. I’m a dog person. I like most dogs more than I like most people. But this idea’s a howler.

Originally published as No, dogs shouldn’t be allowed in the cabin of a plane: Cameron England