Travelling with an assistance animal

What is an assistance animal

An assistance animal is an animal that is trained to provide assistance to a person with a disability. Assistance animals may include guide dogs, hearing dogs and other assistance animals.

Assistance animals on domestic and international flights

We welcome assistance animals that:

Have been trained to help a person alleviate the effects of a disability; and
Meet the standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.

See the list of pre-approved organisations and trainers
Organisations prescribed by section 9 of the Disability Discrimination Act;

Organisations accredited by Assistance Dogs International;

Organisations or trainers accredited under the Queensland Guide Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009;

Organisations or trainers accredited under the Western Australian Dogs Act 1976;

Dogs accredited by the South Australian Dog and Cat Management Board under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995.

Organisations recognised under the Australian Capital Territory’s Domestic Animals Act 2000.

If your animal was trained by one of them, all you need is a document confirming their training.
What to do if your organisation or trainer isn’t on the list
If your assistance animal hasn’t been trained by a pre-approved organisation, we’ll need some further information to determine whether we can carry them.

You’ll need to provide documents that:

Confirm your animal is trained to alleviate the effects of a disability;

Confirm your animal meets the standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place – this is most often and easily confirmed b providing a Public Access Test.

A vet check, including proof of vaccination

How to book your assistance animal

Online

You can make your booking through our website by completing our specific service request form.

Specific Assistance Team

Contact our Specific Assistance Team on 1300 139 303 (in Australia) or +617 3295 3941 (if overseas) (your online fare will be honoured).

Guest Contact Centre

Get in touch with our Guest Contact Centre .

Assistance animals fly free of charge on Virgin Australia* flights.

*If you are travelling on a Codeshare flight with another carrier, you and your animal must meet that carrier's requirements.

Our team will let you know of any additional terms and conditions that may apply to your booking.

Some important things to remember:

You’ll need to book more than 72 hours before travel if your animal hasn't travelled with us before

You must check-in your animal in-person with one of our Guest Services Agents no later than 60 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

As their handler you must have your handler ID with you at all times.

Your animal must:

Be accompanied by you at all times
Be harnessed
Wear their identifying coat

International travel

Important: assistance animals travelling on international flights may be subject to specific quarantine requirements. Guests are responsible for ensuring all requirements are met prior to travel, and Virgin Australia will not accept liability if your assistance animal is not approved for quarantine clearance at your destination, or when entering Australia.

Flights to and from the USA: while Virgin Australia does not currently operate services to and from the USA itself, Emotional Support and Psychiatric Assist Dogs are welcome on board Virgin Australia flights as service dogs to and from the United States when accompanying a guest with a disability, if certain documentation requirements are met.

Therapy animals, which are pets that have been trained and registered by a therapy organisation in order to visit nursing homes, hospitals, schools and other facilities, are not considered to be assistance animals. See information on travelling with pets on Virgin Australia flights.

To request to travel with your Emotional Support and Psychiatric Assist Dogs on a Codeshare flight* to or from the United States, please call our Guest Contact Centre.

*When travelling on a Codeshare flight with another carrier, you and your animal must meet that carrier's requirements.

Preparing your animal for take-off

What to bring for travel

Your handler ID
Your animal’s ID medallion attached to their collar
A strong, secure collar, harness and lead
A suitable restraint for your animal in-fight as they must be tethered to a seat rail or otherwise secured as directed by cabin crew
Absorbent mats for your animal to sit on for the duration of the flight
Items for toileting your animal and to clean up any accidents.

Checked baggage

Bookings travelling with an assistance animal are entitled to up to three additional 23kg baggage items.

These items may include:

Assistance animal carrier or travel crate
Portable bed
Toys
Food for the assistance animal.

Familiarise yourself with state and territory requirements

If your animal is coming with you to Tasmania or Western Australia, you will need to comply with the relevant State biosecurity requirement(s). This includes animals transiting on connecting flights via airports located in these States. See links below for further information.

On the day of travel

We want to ensure a comfortable journey for you both. That’s why we ask that you prepare your animal before joining us in cabin.

Feeding your animal

Skip big meals 8 hours before flying to avoid travel sickness. A light meal 2 hours before take-off is fine.

Limit Fluid

Limit their water intake for several hours before boarding.

Empty the tank

Make sure to take your animal to the toilet and familiarise yourself with animal relief areas at the airport to avoid any mid-air accidents. Animal relief areas can be found either inside or outside the airpot.
Find more details on animal relief areas on each airport’s website.

Assistance animals conditions of carriage

When travelling with an assistance animal on a Virgin Australia operated flight*, you will need to agree to the following specific conditions of carriage (in addition to our standard conditions of carriage):

You must carry a current and dated handler ID identifying you as the handler of the assistance animal.
Your animal must be harnessed, wearing an identifying coat and/or have their ID medallion on their collar and must be accompanied by you and in your control at all times.
You must supply a suitable restraint for your animal inflight and at the airport. On board the aircraft, the animal must be tethered to a seat rail or otherwise secured as directed by cabin crew.
Please prepare your animal for the journey by exercising it, and limiting its fluid and food intake for several hours before boarding the aircraft.
Your animal must be seated on an absorbent mat for the duration of the flight and seated in front of your assigned seat.
Your animal should not relieve itself during the flight. In the event it does, you are responsible for ensuring it does so in a way that will not create a health or sanitation issue. You are solely responsible for cleaning and disposing any waste.
Your animal must not block a space that must remain unobstructed for safety reasons (for example, an aisle or access to an emergency exit).
Your animal must not have any infectious disease or pose a threat to public health or health of other animals.
If your animal engages in disruptive behaviour that Virgin Australia, including the pilot in command of an aircraft, considers in its absolute discretion is not suitable or appropriate for travel, such as barking, snarling, running, or jumping on other passengers without being provoked, your animal may be denied travel. This may occur at the airport or on board the aircraft prior to departure.
The pilot in command will make the final decision about carriage of the animal and may impose additional conditions which they consider necessary in the interests of safety.

*If you are travelling on a Codeshare flight with another carrier, you and your animal must meet that carrier's requirements.

FAQs

Is a therapy animal an assistance animal?
Therapy animals, which are pets that have been trained and registered by a therapy organisation in order to visit nursing homes, hospitals, schools and other facilities, are not generally considered to be assistance animals.

In order to be considered an assistance animal, the therapy animal would also need to meet the following requirements:

Trained to help a person alleviate the effects of a disability; and

Meets the standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.

If your animal does not meet this criteria, you will need to consider one of our other animal travel solutions.
Can I travel in a group with other animals?

If you are travelling with a group and there are multiple assistance animals travelling with you, please contact Virgin Australia at least 10 days before departure.
Any additional questions

Get in touch with our specific assistance team on 1300 139 303 (in Australia) or +61 7 3295 3941 (if overseas).

Related information

Specific Service Request form

Request assistance for your Virgin Australia flight

Pets in cabin

Find information on Pets in Cabin flights, including eligibility, requirements and how to book.

Specific needs and assistance

Whether you require assistance due to a disability, medical condition, or special circumstance, our team is here to provide support tailored to your needs.

Travelling with your assistance animal