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Posted: 2023-06-24 22:43:48

More than 20,000 pets fly in and out of Australia each year.

Most of them are cats and dogs joining owners who are returning home from overseas or relocating for work or family.

If you want to take your pet in or out of Australia, chances are it will have to travel in a crate with hundreds of pieces of luggage, in the cargo hold of a commercial aircraft.

But an Australian-based, international pet travel company is now offering clients the opportunity to have pets travel by their side in the cabin of a charter jet.

For a price.

The first flights between the UK, Australia and back again, earlier this month, were on a Gulfstream jet, and tickets cost between $15,000 (for an unaccompanied pet) to $40,000 (for a person travelling with a pet).

Bella heads into Melbourne after the long, but comfortable, charter flight from the UK.()

Bird's eye view for cats and dogs

Skye Pet Travel founder Joanna Maddison said she hoped that in the future she would be able to offer cheaper fares on bigger planes that could take more passengers — of both the human and animal kind.

"There's no denying it's an expensive service, that's just the reality of charter aircraft. But I really want to make it an affordable service for people," she said.

Skye Pet Travel founder Joanna Maddison.()

The maiden flights carried in total 19 human passengers, one cat and 23 dogs.

All of the animals had to be securely restrained during take-off and landing and a special toileting area was set up at the back of the plane. 

"All the dogs got on so well, we had no issues, it couldn't have gone any better," Ms Maddison said.

"They were all really calm, there was no chaos — even during take off, none of them freaked out."

Penny Forshaw, her dog Indy and her cat Ruby, were onboard the Melbourne-to-London leg, after which they were catching a flight to New York on another pet-friendly airline, K9 Jets.

She said the $40,000 price tag for the London leg on Skye Pet Travel was worth it so she could take her beloved pets with her as she relocated for her dream job.

"I don't have children. My animals are the equivalent of human babies for me," she said.

Penny Forshaw with her fur baby Indy.()

'Cargo sends shivers up my spine'

"Ultimately it is a lot of money, but I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my girls, they are my world. It was a no-brainer for me.

"The thought of putting them in cargo sends shivers up my spine.

"Once that cargo door shuts you just don't know if they're going to be OK, or if they're stressed.

"I just really wanted an option where they could actually be with me in the cabin.

"I think Australia is probably one of the most challenging places to get pets in and out of, whereas in Europe and the US, it seems more common there that people fly in the cabin with their pets."

Searching high and low

Ms Maddison started the business after she and her husband wanted to return to the UK, where they are originally from.

They wanted to take Skye, Jazz and Roux, the three beloved huskies they adopted while living in Perth.

"I was just really against sending them in cargo," she said.

Joanna Maddison started her pet travel business when she realised how costly it would be to charter a flight on her own to fly her huskies, Skye, Jazz and Roux, to the UK.()

"I just couldn't bear the thought of them being stressed and the anxiety that that would cause them."

After searching for other transport options including boats, trains and even a private jet, Ms Maddision and her husband gave up on relocating and decided to stay in Australia for the duration of their dogs' lives.

"Unless you're a millionaire, you just can't do it," she said.

"You're talking about upwards of half a million dollars for that journey [to hire a private jet on your own], so it just wasn't feasible."

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