Do Air India Allow Pets? 'Cat Lover' Left Stranded on Airport After Captain Refuses to Allow the Feline, Know the Airlines' Rules

People across the nation, who own pets, especially dogs and cats, always hope to be able to travel with them without any hassle. But it is never easy. There are very limited resources and information on how to travel with your pets is available. While a few domestic flights do allow cats and dogs to fly with the passengers, they also have restrictions and guidelines that one must be adhered to. Otherwise, you may face some trouble or left stranded on the airport, like a journalist, Twitter user and a ‘cat lover,’ Rupsa Chakraborty. In a series of tweets, she explained how the Air India flight captain did not allow the feline to travel with her, at the ‘last moment.’ As per her claims on Twitter, the official website nowhere mentions that captains have the final say on whether a pet can travel on the flight or not. In this article, we will bring you the airline rules to travel with pets. Air Asia Flight Forced to Abort Take-Off as Dog Enters Runway at Goa Airport. 

“Shame on you for employing flight captain who dislike animals. Today, I faced the worst harassment for being a cat lover. As per their website, cats with their carrier below 5kgs, can be carried in cabin. I also cross checked it with customer care,” tweeted Chakraborty, along with a screenshot of Air India ‘Policy for Carriage of Pets on Domestic Flights.’ Air India Issues 'Dress Code' For Employees, Bans Ripped Jeans, T-Shirts, Shorts And Flip Flops. 

Here's the Tweet:

In the follow-up tweets, she went on explaining the entire scenario. Her flight was scheduled to depart at 6:15 am today, September 13, 2020, but at around 4:45 am, she was informed that the flight captain wouldn’t allow her pet cat to travel. Chakraborty went on accusing that the airline did not even refund her ticket worth Rs 5,500.

Air India Flight Captain Refused to Allow the Feline!

She Further Accused Air India For Not Refunding Her Ticket

Should We?

Air India Responded to the Viral Twitter Thread!

While, she claimed that there was no mention on the website that the flight caption has the final say on whether a pet can fly or not, the screenshot shared by her states the otherwise and a Twitter user pointed it out. “Such carriage is subject to approval of the commander of the flight,” reads the statement.

A Twitter User Shares Screenshot of the Airline's Policy!

Air India Policy for Carriage of Pets on Domestic Fights

• Small ‘inoffensive’ domestic pets such as dogs, cats and birds accompanied by valid health and rabies vaccination certificates are accepted on Air India Domestic flights. However, such carriage is subject to the approval of the commander of the flight.
• The pet must be carried in soft ventilated bags/kennel in the prescribed size. The weight of the pet, including the container, should not exceed 5 kgs.
• Maximum of 2 pets are permitted per flight and passenger accompanying such pet will be seated in the last row of the booked cabin class.
• A pet dog must be properly muzzled and leashed.

Pets can be carried as an accompanied baggage or shipped as Cargo. Bookings can be made for pets as Accompanied Baggage / Excess Baggage through Air India Reservations. You can read the detailed Air India Policy for Carriage of Pets on Domestic Flights, HERE.

Domestic pets such as dogs, cats and birds are permitted on Air India flights in the cabin or as checked-in baggage, but it depends on the regulations of the country of destination subjected to the conditions of the airlines. However, the commander of the flight has the final say on whether or not the pet can fly.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 13, 2020 01:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).