Akasa Air flies 10,000 pets since Nov 2022; Bengaluru-Delhi tops route list

• Akasa Air has flown over 10,000 pets since November 2022 launch
• Bengaluru-Delhi is the most popular route for pet travel
• 60 percent of pets flown were dogs, 93 percent traveled in-cabin

Did our AI summary help?

In an indication of growing demand for pet-friendly air travel in India, Akasa Air on February 20 said it has flown over 10,000 pets since launching its ‘Pets on Akasa’ service in November 2022.

The airline said the milestone reflects rising trust among pet parents and steady demand across its domestic network.

Pet travel saw the highest traction during the October-December festive quarter, which accounted for nearly 35 percent of annual journeys. “Monthly volumes during this period were about 63 percent higher, indicating a clear trend of pet parents choosing to travel with their pets during holidays,” it said.

Bengaluru-Delhi emerges as top sector

Bengaluru-Delhi-Bengaluru sector accounted for 13.66 percent of total pet travel, making it the most popular route on the network. The airline also reported strong demand from Tier II and Tier III cities, with Guwahati among the frequently travelled destinations.

Of the 10,000 pets flown so far, 60 percent were dogs and 40 percent were cats. A majority - 93 percent - travelled in-cabin, “underlining a strong preference among customers to keep pets alongside them during flights,” it said.

The airline also highlighted repeat usage, saying 26 percent of pet parents have flown more than once. “One customer flew 26 times on Mumbai-Goa route with his miniature poodle,” it added.

Service enhancements

To support the service, Akasa Air allows up to three pets per flight and has increased the in-cabin weight limit to 10 kg, including the carrier. It has also simplified booking processes and adopted a more flexible health certification policy.

Launched on November 1, 2022, Pets on Akasa enables customers to travel with cats and dogs on domestic flights across 26 cities, either in-cabin or as cargo depending on weight.