A major Australian airline has announced the expansion of its pet allowance on flights, now letting four-legged friends board flights from Adelaide. Virgin Australia is expanding its Pets in Cabin service, allowing travellers to take their dogs and cats on flights across parts of the country. The service has now been expanded to Adelaide, with the first flight, VA218, departing on Tuesday, June 23. Holidaygoers with four-legged friends can now travel from the South Australian capital to Melbourne and the Gold Coast in both directions. The pet travel service was first unveiled in October last year, with the airline since taking nearly 1500 pets to the skies.Other pet-friendly routes include return flights from the Gold Coast to Melbourne and flights from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast. Only small dogs and cats weighing under 8kg are permitted on the flights, with a limit of four pets on each flight. The furry friends must also be able to fit in a pet carrier, which must be soft-sided and leakproof, with a maximum length of 44cm, 28cm in height and 26cm in width. “Absorbent mats must be placed inside the carrier when travelling,” the airline said. Virgin chief marketing and customer operations officer Libby Minogue said the response to pet-friendly travel was overwhelmingly positive, and the airline would continue its expansion of the service. “Pets are part of the family, and we know how important it is for many Australians to be able to travel with them interstate,” she said. “We’re thankful for the support of Adelaide Airport and our airport partners around the country as we continue expanding the network and making the service available to more guests and their pets.The airline plans to make the Pets in Cabin service a standard across other flights, subject to airport approvals. “We’re laser focused on improving the travel experience and giving customers more choice, value and flexibility in how they travel, and our Pets in Cabin services are a testament of that,” she said. Adelaide Airport executive general manager, people, culture and customer Dermot O’Neill said the move was “great” for holidaygoers who don’t want to leave their beloved pets behind. “We’re looking forward to being a part of what has already proven to be a very popular initiative with Virgin Australia’s customers,” he said. Pets on board the flights must remain in their pet carriers during the flight’s duration and must be stowed under the passenger’s feet in the designated Pets in Cabin seats. For those worried about allergies, Virgin Australia’s flights are fitted with air filtration systems that eradicate 99 per cent of particles, including pet dander. To book a Pets in Cabin flight, customers must call the Virgin Australia Guest Contact Centre on 13 67 89.The cost to add a pet to a flight is $149 per animal, and customers must agree to the airline’s terms and conditions. Travellers will be able to book the pet-friendly service between Melbourne and Adelaide until January 31, 2027.All other services will be available until September 30, 2026. Read related topics:Adelaide