A recent survey of Japanese airlines via Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun shows that most will not reconsider the policy requiring pets to be registered as shipping instead of traveling with their human companions in the cabin.
Although many airlines around the world allow travelers to bring their pets onboard, Japan’s airlines require pets to fly in the hold, largely due to passenger allergy concerns. The policy has been put into question following the death of two pets during the crash of JAL flight 516 on January 2.
Still, the successful evacuation of all 379 passengers on board that plane has been attributed to the cabin crew enforcing regulations against passengers carrying any personal possessions during an emergency evacuation.
On JAL Flight 516, the airline reported that “the plane’s announcement formula did not work properly for evacuation, so cabin crew members gave orders using a megaphone and their voices. Cabin crew members decided to secure the exits for evacuation, and all passengers and equipment were evacuated. “through 3 emergency exits. Even though the fire affected communications and rendered exits unusable, all passengers evacuated the plane within 18 minutes of landing. The cabin crew gave an order from the company to passengers to leave all their belongings on the plane.
Attempting to evacuate with luggage and other non-public items can pose a significant risk, as Americans can block aisles to fetch their bags and prevent others from escaping. The bags can also damage emergency slides that passengers must use to get out. .
In 2019, 41 of the other 78 people on board died when an Aeroflot Sukhoi Superjet plane crashed and burst into flames in Moscow. Some passengers who managed to evacuate were seen with luggage.
While it is an open question whether others would have survived if everyone had evacuated empty-handed, regulators around the world agree that the most productive chance to survive a twist of fate is to adhere to the crew’s orders and get out of the plane quickly, taking nothing with them.
Only one of the 13 Japanese airlines surveyed through Mainchini said it would allow pets in the cabin. Star Flyer had in the past established a policy allowing pets on board, with some restrictions. Ten other airlines have ruled out this option entirely.
Japan Airlines, which did not entirely discount allowing pets in the cabin in the future, expressed concern it might prove difficult for pet owners to comply with regulations if it means leaving beloved pets behind.
A JAL spokesperson told the Mainichi, “We have to consider whether pets brought on board will be a safety hazard during the smooth evacuation (of an aircraft), when human life is the highest priority.”
After the crash of Flight 516, Japan Airlines apologized to its consumers for the two puppies who died in the cargo hold when the A350 plane burned on the tarmac at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. “With respect to the registration of puppies, we assume this duty with the understanding that we are feared for a family member of our customer,” the airline said. “We deeply apologize for the immense fear and inconvenience this incident has caused our customers, their families and all similar parties. “
Japan’s Star Flyer is the airline that allows travelers to bring a puppy on board.
When the service was announced in 2021, a representative for Star Flyer said: “Many passengers have expressed fear of keeping their pets in the hold, so we have come up with a plan to allow them to board with their pets. “
The service was introduced on limited flights in 2022 and is even more restrictive than other airlines’ puppy policies around the world. Star Flyer passengers will need to reserve two reserved seats at the back of the aircraft. The puppy is in the carrier, in the window seat. , and only one passenger with one animal is allowed on each flight.
Star Flyer, in particular, tells puppy owners to evacuate the plane with their puppies in case of an emergency. The airline asks puppy owners to sign a waiver confirming the policy.
A representative for the airline explained: “We cannot allow consumers to evacuate with their pets, as the Ministry of Transport rules state that passengers will have to evacuate without carrying their belongings. “
I’m a general journalist based in San Diego covering technology, with a focus on artificial intelligence and customer technology. I earned a master’s degree in magazine journalism from the Missouri School of Journalism, and prior to that, I earned my bachelor’s degree in investigative journalism. Prior to Forbes, I was a business reporter at Missouri Business Alert and food editor for Vox magazine in Columbia, Missouri. I also worked for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Startland News in Kansas City. You can contact me at rshrivastava@forbes. COM
I’m a general journalist based in San Diego covering technology, with a focus on artificial intelligence and customer technology. I earned a master’s degree in magazine journalism from the Missouri School of Journalism, and prior to that, I earned my bachelor’s degree in investigative journalism. Prior to Forbes, I was a business reporter at Missouri Business Alert and food editor for Vox magazine in Columbia, Missouri. I also worked for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Startland News in Kansas City. You can contact me at rshrivastava@forbes. COM
I’m a senior editor at Forbes and I cover the fitness generation and I also write the InnovationRX newsletter. In the past, I was a fitness reporter for POLITICO, covering the European Union from Brussels and the New Jersey Capitol from Trenton. I was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Economic and Business Journalism in 2019-2020 at Columbia University. Email me at kjennings@forbes. com. Find me on Twitter @katiedjennings.
Author of “Swarm Troopers: How Small Drones Will Take Over the World,” which tracks the generation of state-of-the-art armies in general and robotic systems in particular. The new time travel adventure “City of Wizards” is now available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Author of “Swarm Troopers: How Small Drones Will Conquer the World,” which follows the generation of state-of-the-art armies in general and robotic systems in particular. The new time travel adventure “The Wizarding City” is now available in paperback and Kindle editions.
I’m a journalist, author, and filmmaker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I am a journalist, author and filmmaker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I’m a journalist, author, and filmmaker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I am a journalist, author and filmmaker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I am a journalist/columnist who writes about the military and political issues in the Middle East.
I am a journalist/columnist who writes about Middle East military and political affairs.
I spent 16 years in aviation, running in hangars, centers, and boardrooms from 1994 to 2010. During this time, I worked with CEOs, engineers, airline buyers, and design groups to launch new programs. Responded to industry regulators for the approval process of cabin appliances, overseeing R installations
In 2013, I translated my aviation background into insightful articles for leading industry and customer publications. I demystified aviation jargon and offered readers a transparent and concise review of the world of flight. My hands-on experience, my technical know-how, and my industry. Wisdom allows me to bridge the gap between the complexity of aviation and the public understanding of the industry, making the aviation industry more available to all.
I spent 16 years in aviation, running in hangars, centers, and boardrooms from 1994 to 2010. During this time, I worked with CEOs, engineers, airline buyers, and design groups to launch new programs. Responded to industry regulators for the approval process of cabin appliances, overseeing R installations
In 2013, I translated my aviation background into insightful articles for leading industry and customer publications. I demystified aviation jargon and offered readers a transparent and concise review of the world of flight. My practical experience, technical and industry wisdom. Wisdom allows me to bridge the gap between the complexity of aviation and the public understanding of the industry, making the aviation industry more available to all.
I’m a journalist, author, and filmmaker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I’m a journalist, author and filmmaker based in Columbia, South Carolina.
I’m a journalist, author, and filmmaker in Columbia, South Carolina.
I’m a journalist, author and filmmaker based in Columbia, South Carolina.