Pet Seat Fees Are the Same as Adult Passenger Fees
Russia's largest airline, Aeroflot, is introducing a service that allows passengers to travel with their pets seated beside them.
On the 15th (local time), Aeroflot announced in a press release that it will offer a pet companion boarding service on Aeroflot flights with the 'SU' code and its subsidiary Rossiya Airlines flights. The airline explained that after operating a pilot service for the past three months, it confirmed there is demand from customers who keep small indoor animals such as dogs, cats, and birds.
The pet seat fare is the same as that for an adult passenger. However, to have a pet seated in the cabin seat, several conditions must be met. Pets must be inside a rigid carrier bag, and the combined weight of the pet and the carrier must not exceed 15 kg.
The carrier must be large enough for the animal to stand and turn around comfortably and must be securely fastened to the seat with handles or hooks. According to safety regulations, pets can only be seated in window seats. However, in the business class of the Airbus A350 aircraft, pets can only be seated in the odd-numbered middle seat blocks. Additionally, pets must remain inside the carrier throughout the flight.
Previously, Aeroflot allowed animals weighing up to 8 kg including the carrier to be brought into the cabin, but only if placed under the seat in front. Animals exceeding the weight limit had to be checked in as baggage. However, Aeroflot has faced difficulties with animal transportation in the past. In 2020, a cat transported as baggage from New York, USA to Moscow, Russia died, and in 2019, a passenger who brought a 10 kg cat into the cabin was penalized.
Local media generally welcomed Aeroflot's new service. Some expressed concerns that the airline should implement protective measures for people with animal allergies and worried that animals might exhibit anxiety symptoms such as loud barking during the flight.
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