NEW DELHI: Upgrading the ambassador of a key European nation to India may have earned an Air India commander a show cause notice. But the airline management allowed the pet dog of a passenger to fly in business class with his owner from Bengaluru to Delhi on July 29.

The puppy flew aboard AI 501. While AI did not comment on this particular issue despite repeated attempts, an airline official said: “We allow pets on board (in passenger cabin). If the owner is in business then where will the pet travel? The final authority is of the captain (on allowing pet in cabin) and the rule is that the presence of the pet should not trouble other guests.”

While there is no standard rule on pets in planes, most leading airlines do not allow them in passenger cabins. Jet Airways till recently allowed pets in aircraft belly (not cabin) but stopped that practice after the death of two puppies. Now only service/guide dogs may be allowed. India’s other full service airline, Vistara , also says “it does not allow pets”.

Leading international carriers, like Singapore Airlines and Emirates, also have strict rules against allowing pets in passenger cabins. Allowing pets inside passenger cabin led to a ‘strange’ situation about a year back on an AI international flight.

“The pet of a senior Indian official accompanied its owner to Europe about a year back. After a couple of drinks, the owner started walking the dog in the passenger cabin and took him to the toilet. He even asked the cabin crew to feed the dog and give him milk,” said a source

