Recently, media learned from Sichuan Airlines and Xiangpeng Airlines that flights departing from Chengdu have started pet in cabin services. Xiangpeng Airlines stated that each passenger can bring up to one pet into the cabin; Narrow body aircraft allow a maximum of 2 pets per flight, while wide body aircraft allow a maximum of 4 pets per flight. Meanwhile, the fee for each pet is 1399 RMB per flight segment and must be kept in the pet box throughout the entire journey. Sichuan Airlines also stated that the flight is equipped with 10 professional staff and 2 pet medical professionals to ensure the safe transportation of pets.
Pets can now enter the cabin, which is a novelty. In the past, passengers who needed to bring their pets on board had to check them in, and the pets would be placed in the aerobic cargo compartment below the cabin. That is to say, in the past, pets were separated as "cargo" or a special type of luggage, but now they have become part of the "passengers" on these flights and can be considered as "upgrades".
In recent years, the lives of contemporary people have undergone significant changes, with more and more families keeping pets. Many people consider pets as companions for their families. Under strong market demand, the pet economy has rapidly risen, giving rise to many emerging industries and rich services such as pet healthcare, pet care, and pet food, centered around pet ownership.
However, in some traditional fields, many pet needs have not been fully met. Taking long-distance travel as an example, currently, pets are still not allowed in high-speed trains and the vast majority of airplane cabins. Many people who have pets at home are forced to choose to drive or keep their pets in the homes of neighbors and friends.
Of course, bringing pets into the cabin also inevitably faces potential conflicts with other passengers, posing new challenges to flight services. How to handle the interests between passengers and pets, ordinary passengers and passengers carrying pets, should also have sufficient considerations and contingency plans.
After all, from the reality of recent years, children crying on airplanes or high-speed trains can also cause conflicts among passengers. Relatively speaking, the instability factors on pets may be greater, and other passengers may have a lower tolerance for pets than children. Some netizens have mentioned that some people are allergic and afraid of animals. When selling airline tickets, they should give a prompt that "this flight is a pet flight", so that passengers who mind can choose not to take this flight.
At present, the introduction of the "pet in cabin" service by airlines seems more like an exploratory attempt. If this model can continue smoothly, coordinate the relationship between safety and health and incremental services, and balance the rights and interests of passengers with pets and other ordinary passengers, it may not be impossible to promote it, but this process may not be smooth, and it needs constant adjustment and running in.
In terms of economic benefits, for airlines, providing value-added services as much as possible can also bring in additional income. Especially in recent years, with the continuous increase of high-speed rail lines, the cost-effectiveness of air travel has been relatively declining, and some airlines have even experienced losses. When the aviation+pet economy spreads, it can also alleviate the operational pressure of some airlines. In the long run, if airlines make money in pet services, they can reduce costs and increase efficiency, thus gaining some space for the reduction of ticket prices and enhancing the cost-effectiveness and competitiveness of air travel.
