The Civil Aviation Administration on Monday said that it has asked local airlines to study the feasibility of allowing passengers to carry small pets on board, after more than 5,000 people supported a petition on the Public Policy Online Participation Network Platform in June.
The person who made the proposition online in April said that the government should quickly amend the Regulations of Animal Transportation (動物運送管理辦法) to let passengers travel with their pets in the cabin.
The amendment should also stipulate that cargo cabins that are used to carry animals must have a temperature control system, proper ventilation and emergency veterinarian care, they said.
They also requested a three-way meeting among the government, airlines and pet owners to discuss solutions, adding that airlines should consider offering pet-friendly flights.
As the proposition was endorsed by more than 5,300 people in June, it met the criteria for a valid proposal and the administration is obligated to respond within two months.
“We invited the person who made the proposition as well as representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and domestic airlines to discuss possible solutions on Aug. 15. Representatives from different organizations fully understood the person’s concerns for the safety of pet transportation and pet owners’ rights,” the civil aviation authority said in a statement.
However, airlines must still evaluate the proposal in terms of flight safety, comfort and safety of pets, and other passengers’ perception, the agency said.
Article 17 of Regulations of Animal Transportation authorizes domestic airlines to transport animals based on international transport agreements and rules set by the countries that import animals, the CAA said.
The International Air Transportation Association has regulations about the transportation of live animals, which airlines can follow, the agency said.
“We have asked Taiwanese airlines to consider requests from all parties, including those from passengers traveling with pets. They should also evaluate pet-friendly measures that are practiced by international flight carriers. Hopefully, passengers traveling with their pets can have diverse flight options,” it said.
Among airlines that offer international flight services in Taiwan, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Korean Air allow passengers to bring their pets in passenger cabins.
On flights offered by United and KLM, only cats or dogs are allowed in passenger cabins.
In addition to dogs and cats, birds are also allowed on board on Delta Air Lines, Turkish Airlines and Korean Air flights.
However, all airlines require pets carried on board to be small and placed in pet containers.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a southwestern extension of the Sanying MRT Line from New Taipei to Bade District (八德) in Taoyuan, with a goal of starting construction by late 2026. The 4.03-kilometer extension, featuring three new stations, will run from the current terminus at Yingtao Fude Station (LB12) in New Taipei City to Dannan Station (LB14), where it will connect with Taoyuan’s Green Line, New Taipei City Metro Corp said in a statement. This extension will follow the completion of core Sanying Line, a 14.29-kilometer medium-capacity system linking Tucheng (土城), Sansia (三峽)