Dogs and cats could soon be allowed to travel in Australian plane cabins

Australians could soon be able to bring their pet along on interstate travel.

Regulations banning pets in the cabin of planes will be relaxed later this year.

That means it’s now up to the airlines to decide whether cats and dogs can sit on the plane with their owners.

Qantas and Jetstar have already ruled out allowing pets in the cabin, but Virgin has not yet decided if it’ll be permitted or not.

Peter Gibson from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority says allowing pets to fly with their owners will create some new problems for airlines.

“From a safety point of view what we’re saying is they should think about not in exit rows because the dog could get in the way … and not in the aisles,” he told Stephen Quartermain and Emily Power, filling in for Ross and Russel.

“You’re going to have other passengers who may be allergic to dogs and cats.

“It’s not 100 per cent simple but what we’re saying from a rules point of view is as long as the safety rules are ticked off we’re not going to get in the way of it.”

Press PLAY below to hear more of Mr Gibson’s thoughts on whether airlines will eventually allow pets