BBC Air travel change for guide dogs
New rules mean guide dogs can now travel in the passenger cabin on certain long-haul flights from Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester airports. Previously, guide dogs entering the UK on long-haul routes were kept in the aircraft's hold away from their owner.
The new guidelines have been jointly planned by the Guide Dogs charity, BAA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). They recommend a maximum 10-hour journey on Defra-approved flights. There was concern that guide dogs and other assistance dogs could become easily disorientated and distressed if kept in the hold.
Tom Pey, Guide Dogs' director of policy and development, said: "Guide dogs and their blind and partially-sighted owners form an extraordinary partnership, and it's essential that this companionship remains whilst in transit."
The new arrangements will come into place on Monday. The UK airlines which have signed up to take part are Britannia Airways, British Airways, EasyJet, First Choice Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
The rules of Defra's Pet Passport scheme state that travelling dogs must be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies, blood tested and treated against ticks and tapeworms. Owners will have to carry car safety-style harnesses for securing their dog during the flight.