Will airlines evolve to accommodate more pets and their parents?

With airfares on the rise around the world, and some travellers looking to save money on their journeys, Korean Air is making a bid to win the loyalty of South Korean passengers by offering their pets a special treat.

The airline has created a loyalty program, called Skypets, specially designed for animals travelling on board its aircraft. Specifically for dogs, cats and birds.

While most major airlines allow pets under a certain size to ride in the cabin, while larger ones are allotted space in a special zone within the cargo hold, Korean Air goes one step further by offering pet owners “miles” (aviation loyalty points) every time their furry or feathered friend flies with them. Each trip taken with Korean Air earns them points, which in turn entitle them to discounts.

And since being launched in 2017, the Skypets programme seems to be working at attracting flyers who are pet parents. It is said to have contributed to a 29% increase in Korean Air flights with animals over the first six months of 2023, according to information from French radio broadcaster France Info.

Indeed, this can be explained by a population in South Korea that is attached to their pets. Some 6.38 million households were home to at least one pet in 2020, according to official figures quoted by the Yonhap news agency. That represents 28% of all households in the country. South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee are said to have 11 pets of their own (six dogs and five cats), according to The Korea Herald.

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Nothing too good for our pets

With statistics showing that a growing number of South Koreans are putting off getting married and having children, many are turning to pet adoption. And they’re not cutting corners when it comes to spoiling their fur baby: South Korean pet parents spend an average of 150,000 won (about $115) a month on their little companions, according to the Yonhap news agency.

And travel is a part of this pet industry. A growing number of South Koreans are investing in “all-inclusive” packages, or “petkages”, to take their pets on vacation with accommodating means of transport and lodgings. It’s a hit with consumers as well as the transport and tourism sectors.

This phenomenon isn’t limited to South Korea. In Europe and the United States, many pet parents are also interested in taking their pet with them on their travels. However they are sometimes disappointed by the welcome their furry companions receive on board many commercial airlines. That’s why some are turning to private aviation to offer their pets every possible comfort. Companies such as K9 Jets, NetJets and VistaJets all offer pet-friendly packages to their customers.

The lucky dogs and cats that fly on these companies’ planes can lounge at their owners’ feet during the flight, or even on their own cushioned full-size seats. They may also be offered a protein-rich meal, at their owners’ request. Of course, traveling by private jet comes at a pretty price – about $9,000 per seat for a one-way flight between New York and Europe with K9 Jets, according to the New York Times. 

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But there’s demand for these services, according to Adam Golder, founder of this private carrier. “There are hundreds of people that are waiting for a flight. I think people don’t want to put [their pets] in a crate [in the hold] and wave goodbye to them,” he told the New York Times. It’s a safe bet that the aviation sector will be thinking about a more “pet-friendly” approach in the future, to meet the expectations of passengers who are increasingly reluctant to leave their pets at home when they travel.

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