Travelling with pets set to get easier

Imagine being able to open an app and book your pet on your flight to Hong Kong or Goa! But maybe you’re still worried about how your pet will fare in the cargo, with all the boxes and suitcases. Will the temperature be okay? Will your pet be comfortable?

Digi-Pet, an app from Unisys, a global IT company, aims to resolve all your worries.

It allows pet owners to book flights for their pets, streamlines communication between consumers and the airlines, and even allows owners access to live updates on their pets’ vital stats, the temperature in the containment unit, and a live video feed of their pet during transport.

“We demonstrated Digi-Pet at the event Air Cargo India 2018 in Mumbai and it was very well received by airlines and cargo players across the spectrum," says Dheeraj Kohli, vice-president and global head for travel and transportation, Unisys. “We are now in the implementation stage and working closely with airlines across the world."

With no launch date specified just yet, it looks like it will be a while before Indians can download this app to travel with their pets. But it may be worth the wait.

“Although the pet transport trend is rising in India, many pet owners worry about their pets’ travelling safety. Reports about lost or escaped animals have been hot news items," says Kohli. “Looking at India’s domestic air travel trend and increasing pet ownership, pet air travel is a huge opportunity for Indian airlines."

And for pet owners too, no doubt.