On the morning of September 15, the crew of Air India at Mumbai airport were in for a surprise as they had an adorable white furry passenger carried into the business class of the aircraft. A woman passenger had booked 12 seats, the entire business class in the Airbus 320 ensure a comfortable flight for her Maltese Bela from Mumbai to Chennai.
One way fare for a single business class seat on the flight is about ₹20,000 and the passenger may have spent about ₹2.4 lakh to ensure a comfortable flight for her pet.
Air India sources said while was rare for a passenger to book the entire business class, it was not uncommon to see pets taking a flight in the economy class. “We have seen dogs and cats on numerous occasions in the economy class; once, we even had hamsters on a flight from Delhi to Chennai,” a source in Air India said.
For those who wish to carry their pets, Air India says it can be done either in cargo or cabin but there has to be a health and rabies vaccination certificate. “Also, the weight of the pet should be less than 5 kg and the animal must be carried in a soft-ventilated bag or kennel,” the source said.
The flight AI671 left Mumbai at 9 a.m. and landed in Chennai at 10.55 a.m. with the fur ball getting all the attention as it walked out of the terminal.
