No. British Airways, the largest carrier at Heathrow, states plainly that it does not carry pets in the cabin on any route, and Virgin Atlantic's own rules work the same way: ordinary pets travel in the aircraft hold, not next to you in the cabin. The exception is assistance dogs, which can travel in the cabin free of charge with most airlines at Heathrow, subject to advance booking and some breed restrictions. Emotional support animals are not treated as assistance dogs and cannot travel in the cabin either. Checked against British Airways' and Virgin Atlantic's own policy pages, November 2026.
Why pets go in the hold, not the cabin, at Heathrow
British Airways' own pet travel page is explicit: "We don't carry pets in the cabin on any route." Pets flying with BA travel in the hold, arranged through specialist partners rather than as ordinary checked baggage: PetAir UK handles pets leaving the UK, and IAG Cargo handles pets arriving into the UK. This hold-only approach is standard across the major full-service airlines operating from Heathrow, not a British Airways-specific restriction; Virgin Atlantic's conditions of carriage handle pets under a similar dedicated process requiring advance agreement, separate from ordinary cabin baggage.
This differs from some carriers outside the UK, where small pets in an approved carrier can sometimes travel in the cabin under the seat. If you're connecting through Heathrow on a different airline for part of your journey, check that specific carrier's own pet policy, since it may differ from the Heathrow-based airlines.
Assistance dogs: the exception
Assistance dogs are treated differently from pets. British Airways allows an assistance dog to travel with you, free of charge, in the cabin on the majority of its flights. The UK government maintains a list of airlines and airports, including Heathrow, registered to check assistance dogs meet the Pet Travel Scheme rules before travel.
A few things to know if you're travelling with an assistance dog:
- You must arrange this with the airline in advance; it isn't something you can request at check-in.
- Emotional support dogs are not accepted in the cabin by British Airways on any flight. If you have an emotional support animal rather than a trained assistance dog, it must travel as an ordinary pet, in the hold.
- Some airlines restrict which breeds can travel in the cabin even as assistance dogs. Virgin Atlantic, for example, does not accept snub or pug-nosed breeds, such as French Bulldogs, Pugs or Shih Tzus, in the cabin, regardless of assistance-dog status, because of breathing risks at altitude.
If your pet needs to fly, what are the hold options?
If you're taking a pet (rather than an assistance dog) from Heathrow, you'll need to arrange it through your airline's pet transport process well in advance of travel, not at the airport on the day. This typically involves:
- An IATA-approved travel crate sized for your pet.
- Advance booking and paperwork, since pets aren't simply added as checked baggage.
- Compliance with the UK's Pet Travel Scheme rules if your pet is travelling into or out of the UK, administered by DEFRA.
Costs and lead times vary significantly by airline, destination and pet size, so get a quote and confirm the paperwork directly with your airline or its pet travel partner rather than assuming a flat baggage-style fee.