Pets on jets: How the UAE is cashing in on furry travel
- Pet ownership at record levels
- Fly JetPets launched in March
- Charter private or shared jets
Pets in private jets? An idea that won’t fly? “Woof” says the spaniel in window-seat 9K.
More travellers than ever are taking to the skies with cats, dogs and other companions. The pet travel industry is forecast to more than double to $5.3 billion by 2034, up from $2.4 billion last year, according to market researcher Global Market Insights.
This growth is driven by rising pet “humanisation” – treating animals as if they have human traits and emotions – alongside higher disposable incomes and greater spending on pets, the research said.
Global pet ownership is at record levels, and it was this realisation that led Dubai-based Gunawab Wahab to set up Fly JetPets, a niche firm where private jets aren’t just for people – they’re for pets and their owners too.
“I understand the anxiety of pet ‘parents’, who see their animals as an extension of their families,” Wahab told AGBI.
“They don’t want the stress and risk of putting them in the hold, yet few commercial airlines allow pets in the cabin.”
Further reading:
Further reading:
Fly JetPets launched in March, partnering with Jetex, a private jet charter company with a network of operators, flight support services and ground handling at 30 locations worldwide.
The partnership offers private and shared charter flights to pet owners, “from almost anywhere in the world, to almost anywhere else”, including relocation and taking pets on holiday.
Wahab said that between March and mid-August Fly JetPets received around 50 to 60 monthly enquiries. Over the past fortnight he has received 250 in total, reflecting high demand as people return from summer holidays.
Millennials (those aged between 29 and 44) see pets as life companions in a world where people are single and child-free for longer than in previous decades, according to market researcher Mintel.
And with a young population, high wealth per capita and large number of expats owning pets, Dubai’s travel industry is evolving to meet demand.
Fly JetPets joins other UAE specialists including Furry Group, Paw Pals and Deloropets, which advise pet owners of their travel options and arrange documentation and other services like grooming and dog walking.
Commercial airlines typically allow service animals including guide dogs (and, in the Gulf, falcons) to travel in the cabin for an additional cost.
Saudia allows cats and small dogs weighing 5kg or less and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways permits pets under 8kg in cages or carriers. Otherwise animals must travel in the hold as cargo, as with Emirates and others. But this isn’t desirable for everyone.
Chartering a private jet for you and your pet costs $10,000 to $15,000 per hour depending on the route, plus documentation fees and other requirements such as cleaning, said Wahab. Chartering a shared jet is cheaper – around $10,000 to $40,000 for a single journey.
Dubai pet-sitting and relocations company Paw Pals recently helped to fly a rabbit to Milan. Bookings have increased by 30 percent over the past six years, according to its relocations manager Kate Lindley, and last month was its busiest ever.
“People think it’s extravagant but if you fly business class on Emirates for your holidays, which many do, the cost is comparable,” said Lindley.
Pugs on a plane
Farynne Reader, who relocated to Dubai last year, owns two pugs that suffer from breathing difficulties. Airlines advised not to put them into the hold during the summer as the heat could exacerbate their condition.
Through a Facebook group she found a space in a shared charter jet for £6,720 plus documentation, which cost around £1,900.
“This would usually be out of my pay bracket but it was a crucial, one-off trip,” she said. Other passengers were in a similar situation. “Moving overseas is hard enough, so if people can pay a bit more and reduce the stress, it’s worth it.”
Farynne Readerlink
