Traveling with pets is becoming increasingly seamless in China as airlines expand in-cabin services and upgrade offerings ahead of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday starting Friday.
At a terminal of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Saturday, the service counter saw a steady stream of travelers checking in with their pets.
The owners only needed to fill out an application form and have their documents verified before checking their pets for the flight, a scene far less common a few years ago.
"I've been wanting to bring my pet to my parents' home for a while. Now that pets are allowed in the cabin, I looked into the airlines that offer this service, along with their general regulations, required documentation, and pet carrier requirements. It was quite convenient to get all the information," said a traveler surnamed Liu at the airport.
Currently, more than 10 domestic airlines have rolled out "pets in cabin (PETC)" transport services.
Among them, China Southern Airlines now covers 35 domestic airports and 760 routes with the service. Xiamen Airlines has introduced it on more than 270 routes, initially covering 20 popular domestic destinations including Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Hainan Airlines and Tianjin Airlines have even extended the service to international routes.
In addition to the continued expansion of route coverage, these airlines are also advancing service upgrades. In April, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines all announced upgrades to their PETC offerings, including holding seats for pets, offering complimentary insurance coverage, and relaxing restrictions on pet carrier sizes.
"On top of the pets-in-cabin service, China Southern Airlines offers personalized options like accompanied pet travel and unaccompanied pet shipping, providing even more choices for travelers with pets," said Zhao Mengguang, deputy director of a domestic service office at the Ground Service Support Department of China Southern Airlines.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a major traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The festival fell on Friday this year.
Chinese airlines expand cabin access for pets as demand for pet-friendly travel grows
Chinese airlines expand cabin access for pets as demand for pet-friendly travel grows
Multinational companies are deepening roots in China, striving to become partners in co-creation and innovation with Chinese industry amid new development opportunities.
At the just concluded 7th Qingdao Multinationals Summit, over 300 global executives gathered to discuss closer cooperation and future plans in line with China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), with the key theme of "co-creation" resonating throughout the event.
"We are not simply bringing in technologies for application in China. In today's environment, we need to innovate together with local partners, ensuring innovations stay in China, while also seeking ways to internationalize," said Geng Ming, president of Alstom China.
Early approaches saw China as a sales market, but that view is evolving quickly, noted Cao Yang, global vice-president of Baker Hughes and president of Baker Hughes China.
"When we first talked about development in Shandong Province, or China, we saw it as an end market. However, we realized that the manufacturing capabilities of Chinese partners are rising rapidly. Both sides must take Chinese-made products and technologies abroad together," said Cao.
Companies highlighted how research and development in China now powers their global portfolios.
"When we first came, we saw immense potential in the Chinese market. Over time, we have seen the industrial ecosystem mature. Products developed in China are now exported to Southeast Asia and other markets. We are very optimistic about China and consider it a global innovation hub," said Yang Lan, senior director of public affairs of Herbalife China.
The evolving role of multinationals in China is synchronized with local growth, moving from "entering China" to "rooting in China" and now "co-creating" with China. Firms said the 15th Five-Year Plan will be their action guide for future investment and innovation.
"I think the 15th Five-Year Plan is quite important. China has to keep modernizing the old economy and in the same time making the best out of new sectors, be it healthcare, be it artificial intelligence, be it electric mobility and you name it," said Denis Depoux, global managing director at Germany's strategy consulting firm Roland Berger.
"We went from participating in China's rail transit development to becoming a part of its growth and progress," said Geng.
"The 15th Five-Year Plan provides very clear policy and industry support for development and innovation in biomedicine. Standing on this foundation, Revvity has a clear position in China, and we aim to become a partner in Chinese innovation," said Liu Jiang, vice president and general manager of Greater China at Revvity.
The three-day Qingdao Multinationals Summit, which drew 357 multinational companies from 44 countries and regions, concluded Wednesday in east China's Shandong Province.
Global firms root deeper in China's innovation drive
