Aboard a Jeju-bound passenger plane from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul on June 15 at 11:45 a.m., a dog started barking, triggering a chorus of howls from dozens of other dogs on board. Despite their owners’ efforts to calm them, the cabin was filled with howling throughout the hour-long flight. Owners, initially trying to quiet their pets, eventually gave up and enjoyed the journey.
Park Ji-won, 33, who had previously flown with her dog on regular flights, said, “In the past, I was anxious about my dog barking throughout the flight, but this time, since all passengers were dog owners, I felt more at ease.”
In collaboration with LG Uplus, Jeju Air introduced South Korea’s first “pet-only flights,” departing from Gimpo International Airport that morning en route to Jeju International Airport. This marked the second flight following its inaugural in April and the first time the interior was unveiled to the media.
A total of 112 owners and 57 dogs boarded the dedicated flight, where dogs occupied seats beside the windows while owners occupied the remaining seats. Passengers and their pets returned to Gimpo International Airport on the same exclusive flight on the afternoon of June 17.
During the flight, each dog occupied a seat like a human and, after 15 minutes of takeoff, could roam freely with a leash under conditions that included keeping their carrier open. Typically, to fly with a pet, it would need to be placed in a carrier bag and stowed under the front seat, similar to carry-on luggage. Once aboard, the pet cannot be removed from the carrier.
For each dog, one to two owners accompanied them during the flight. The cost is 440,000 won round-trip for one owner and 660,000 won for two owners. Regular flights from Seoul to Jeju cost around 100,000 won, factoring in additional pet transport fees (round trip between 20,000 and 60,000 won depending on the airline). Pet-only flights cost about four times as much.
Despite the higher costs, exclusive flights quickly sold out, just as they did in April, with the next flight scheduled for August. Passenger Kim Min-jung, 26, said, “Treating pets like baggage under the front seat on regular flights feels wrong, and I worry about putting them in the cargo hold.” Jung Da-yeon, 25, added, “Considering the ability to care for them directly in the adjacent seat, the price isn’t unreasonable at all.”
The demand for traveling with pets has risen alongside the trend of treating pets as family members, leading to competitive services targeting these travelers. Korean Air introduced “Sky Pets,” offering stamps for each trip with a pet that can accumulate for discounted or free future transport, the first such service in South Korea. Following suit, Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air have also launched similar services. Jeju Air introduced a “Pet Meal,” while Asiana Airlines offers a “pet travel kit,” comprising food, toys, and utensils. Various related services are emerging regardless of full-service carriers and low-cost carriers.
Jeju Air’s pet transport reached 17,698 cases last year, a 152% increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (7,020 cases). Korean Air reported 51,151 cases last year, an 85% increase from 2020, and over 40% higher than the pre-pandemic peak. Asiana Airlines also saw a 33% increase last year, with 21,138 cases compared to 2020.
