In the United States and France, small pets are allowed in the passenger cabin. However, many Australian carriers still require them to be checked into oxygenated cabins, raising safety concerns for pet owners. A growing number of Australian travelers are appealing for a change. Fortunately, Virgin Australia’s announcement of a trial of “pet-friendly” flights in 2025 raises hopes for a looser policy.
Story Angle
This story uses a feature writing style throughout and will combine warm emotions with rational analysis. It starts with a pet owner’s experience – who just wanted to fly with their beloved pet, but due to policy restrictions, they were forced to choose to check their pet in, a process full of worry and anxiety. In the end, they even had to give up the whole trip. This article hopes that her story leads to a bigger question: why can pets sit next to their owners in other countries, but still so difficult in Australia? What are the concerns behind the policy? Is there any hope for change? Is it possible to truly stop pets being treated as cargo on flights?
Why it matters
It is not a small issue, in fact the health and safety of many pets is at stake. Many pets feel uncomfortable during the check-in process, some experience illness, and there have even been incidents of pets dying in flight.
Nearly 10,000 people have signed the petition on Change.org. Media outlets also continue to pick up on the issue, including TimeOut Australia, SBS and The Nightly. The Nightly notes that although Virgin Australia has announced that it will be piloting “pet-friendly” flights, the program has yet to receive regulatory approval. This means, there is still uncertainty about how it will work. With Australia lagging compared to Europe and the US, more and more people are asking: When will we really catch up?
Target Audience
This feature is aimed at Australian travellers who consider their pets to be family members, and readers who are concerned about animal welfare and policy reform. This story will be pitched to The Guardian Australia, whose audience focuses on public issues and social justice, and is suited to this type of reporting, which combines personal experience with institutional observation. As its Guardian emphasizes in its introduction: “…giving a voice to the powerless and holding power to account.”
Suggestions of interviewees
- Pet Owners (the main character in the story)
Real pet owners found via Facebook groups like Travelling Australia with Pets can share firsthand experiences that bring emotional depth and relevance to the story.
- Dr. Anne Quain (Animal Welfare Specialist)
With expertise in pet mental health and travel stress, Dr. Quain provides expert advice on the risks of pet cargo travel and animal welfare issues. (Email: anne.quain@sydney.edu.au)
As the first airline to trial pet-friendly flights, the Virgin Australia spokesperson was able to explain the trial program and future plans, and reflect the airline’s response to growing public demand. (Email: media@virginaustralia.com)
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I think you have found a very valuable news idea. You have used appropriate online delivery methods and persuasive evidence to prove that the story angle you have chosen is ture and attractive.
I think you should clearly state how you achieve a balance between warm emotions and rational analysis. This is very important because they respectively represent the subjective and the objective, and an imbalance will affect the reading experience of the feature.
Virgin Australia is a pioneer in solving the problem of pets taking flights in your proposal. You have indicated that you will let a spokesperson as the interviewee. However, who will be the spokesperson? What is his position? Why him? You should be clear about these to support your idea.