Animals on Board!

Leading online travel agent Opodo unveils the results of its latest poll - uncovering what passengers really think about pets on planes.

The global poll of 9000* respondents - including 2000 from the UK - reveals how likely we are to take our pets on a plane, how comfortable we are staying in pet-friendly accommodation, and where in the cabin pets should be welcome.

How happy are we to welcome pets on the plane?

• Globally, more than one third (37%) of travellers report that they are very unlikely to take their pet on the plane
• Just 15% admit to being very likely to fly with their pet

What kind of traveller travels with their pet?

• Globally, travellers aged 65+ are least keen to bring their pet on board (65%) admitting it would be very unlikely to travel together
• By contrast, Gen Z (18-24 year olds) globally are more keen with 50% reporting that they are either ‘very likely’ or ‘somewhat likely’ to do so

A nation of dog-lovers? How do Brits feel?

In the UK, according to *The Independent, there are nearly 13 million pet dogs - but Opodo’s recent poll indicates that UK travellers are on the whole, least keen to travel with pets in general:

• More than half (54%) would be ‘very unlikely’ to travel with their four-legged friend
• Just 7% would definitely plan to travel with their pet
• Londoners are most likely to take their pets abroad compared to any other region: 43% report they would be ‘likely’ or ‘somewhat likely’ vs just 11% of travellers from Yorkshire and the Humber

What factors influence decisions to travel with pets?

Globally pet owners are in agreement that the most important factors to consider when deciding to take their pet on holiday are:

• Mode of transport (42%)
• Distance of travel (40%)
• How comfortable the accommodation is for pets (36%)

Seat Selection: where should animals sit on the plane?

Opodo’s data revealed that:

• 40% of passengers globally believe pets should travel in a separate pet-only cabin
• 31% globally believe pets should have their own seats like any other passenger
• 64% of global travellers support pets being allowed to travel in the main passenger cabin compared to 22% who don’t think pets should be able to travel on planes at all
• Europeans are most pro pet travel: 78% of Portuguese support pets being allowed in the cabin, followed by 77% of Italians and 75% of Spaniards
• More than half of Brits (52%) agree pets should be allowed in the main cabin (although only 29% of Brits over 65 agree)
• UK regionally: Londoners are most supportive of welcoming pets on the plane with 68% agreeing they belong in the main cabin. By comparison, the east of England and Wales are significantly less supportive - here, just 44% voice their support

How comfortable are we staying in pet friendly holiday locations?

• Globally, most travellers strongly agree (37%) that they would feel comfortable staying in pet-friendly accommodation compared to just 7% who feel strongly they would be uncomfortable there
• Breaking it down by country: Portuguese travellers most strongly agree they would be happy to stay in a pet friendly location (52%), followed by Spanish (44%), and then Americans (43%)

In the UK, age plays a significant factor: 35% of 18-24 year olds feel strongly that they would be comfortable staying in a pet friendly hotel vs just 18% of travellers aged 65+

What are the obstacles to welcoming more pets on board?

When asked their opinion on what the biggest obstacles are to more pet-friendly air travel policies, global travellers identified four main factors:

• Passenger discomfort such as noise and smell (48%)
• Allergies of passengers (40%)
• Safety concerns (30%)
• Airline costs (24%)

For more information, please visit the Opodo “travelling with pets” page.