Pets will not run wild in the isles. I wish I could say the same for children.
A pet will not turn around in its seat and ask you 200 questions during your flight.
Nor will they kick the back of your seat...
or reach over and grab your hair...
A pet will not leave boogers on the armrest.
So, a pet will be less noisy and less of a distraction to business travelers than many children are.
Worried about getting contaminated by motion sickness? You should worry about the adult or child near you, not the animal on the floor.
Pets who travel with their owners are well taken care of and may smell a lot better than the person sitting next to you...especially if you are seated near a diapered child.
Speaking of diapers. I am in much more fearful of leaking or dirty diapers than anything a pet in a carrier could do. A pet will almost never go in it's carrier, ( and if it did, it is contained.) but I have seen way too many improperly handled diapers and unwashed hands. ( I have even seen people changing a diaper while in their airline seat!) Out of diaper kids can have accidents in the seat!
Pets don't drown themselves with cheap perfume or aftershave. ( Really people, watch the cologne.)
You are more likely go catch something from a person, than from a pet.
You are more likely to get fleas from a person who spends times in the woods...or a person with a " a dog is a backyard decoration" mentality than from an actual dog on the plane. People to pay to fly with their pets are the type of people who take extreme care of their pets. Have you ever noticed that more 5 star hotels allow pets than 1 star hotels?
BTW- I think most pets would do better if they were allowed off of the floor. I think a pet should be allowed to sit in an owners lap or purchase a seat IF:
*The pet is sitting between two accompanying flyer's. Max two small pets per seat.
* The pet is contained in a waterproof travel pet seat or other device or covering such as to protect the seat and not allow the pet to reach beyond the seat.
or
Just allow the carrier to be place on the seat on top of a waterproof blanket. ( not that the blanket would be necessary in any way...it is just to keep the phobic happy.)
I would not even mind if this was only offered on select flights each day. Or, maybe start with the top travel destinations for family vacations?
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