Hong Kong Airlines to expand pet-in-cabin and family-friendly services

Hong Kong Airlines is looking to expand a newly launched service that allows passengers to bring their pets into cabins to more destinations, as strong demand has led to bookings being filled until mid-November.

In an exclusive interview with the Post last week, Hong Kong Airlines president Jeff Sun Jianfeng revealed plans to expand the carrier’s pet-in-cabin service and introduce family-friendly products that would benefit children and the elderly in a bid to woo customers as an “all-accommodating” airline.

“We’ve been brewing this pet-friendly service idea for a long time as a lot of pet lovers treat their furry companions as family members and cannot bear to part with them when going overseas,” he said.

“When we upgrade our services, we strive to satisfy our customers in all aspects. With this in mind, we pushed for this pet-in-cabin product as the first and only such home-based service in Hong Kong.

“This also further strengthens Hong Kong Airlines as an animal-friendly carrier.”

The new service, launched in February and currently only available on flights to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, costs HK$8,800 (US$1,120) per pet, on top of the owner’s airfare. It allows passengers to bring dogs and cats into the cabin, provided they keep the animals under the seat in front of them.