West Air Extends In-Cabin Pet Travel Service to Flights from Bangkok to Chongqing

Recently, Mr. Zhang, who has long worked and lived in Bangkok, Thailand, traveled with his pet Siamese cat on flight PN6430 operated by West Air, a member of HNA Aviation Group, from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. This was the first return journey to China handled under the airline’s in-cabin pet travel service following its extension to the Bangkok–Chongqing route.

When bringing his pet back to China in the past, Mr. Zhang usually had it transported in the cargo hold. After learning that West Air had launched an in-cabin pet travel service on its direct Bangkok–Chongqing route, he prepared all required documents, including animal quarantine certificates and vaccination records, in advance, in accordance with the company’s regulations and the entry-exit inspection and quarantine requirements of both China and Thailand, and successfully completed the formalities for in-cabin pet travel on this international inbound flight.

In accordance with the in-cabin pet service standards, Mr. Zhang was assigned a seat in the last row of the cabin. The pet was placed in a portable pet carrier that met the airline’s requirements. The carrier was positioned beside Mr. Zhang, and the cat remained calm. After landing in Chongqing, Mr. Zhang completed the relevant entry checks and left the airport with his pet without any issues. Mr. Zhang said, “On previous trips, my pet traveled in the cargo hold. This time, it was by my side throughout the journey, so I no longer had to worry about how it was doing in the hold.”

During boarding, the cabin crew checked the passenger’s documentation for in-cabin pet travel. Photo courtesy of West Air

The cabin crew assisted the passenger in placing the pet carrier in the last row of the cabin. Photo courtesy of West Air

In September 2026, West Air completed Southwest China’s first inbound in-cabin pet transport operation on the Chiang Mai–Chongqing international route. As of October 2026, West Air’s in-cabin pet travel service network covered 49 major cities in China, as well as multiple international destinations including Chiang Mai and Bangkok in Thailand, Jeju in South Korea, Hanoi in Vietnam, and Yangon in Myanmar.

Next, West Air will continue to optimize its support system for all stages of domestic and international in-cabin pet travel, refine service procedures for different routes and travel scenarios, and provide more attentive and passenger-friendly specialty services while maintaining strict aviation safety standards and safeguarding the rights and interests of all passengers.