Nashville International Airport is the first to attain pet-friendly designation

Nashville International Airport (BNA) has become the first to attain the new pet-friendly designation, Better Cities For Pets™ programme, launched by Mars Petcare. The announcement, in time for the holiday travel rush, comes in response to a rising demand for pet-friendly travel options, as a recent survey shows 85 per cent of pet parents are likely to travel within the next year, and 65 per cent saying they would like to bring their pets along. Following the company’s recently launched partnership with Hilton’s Homewood Suites, the new Airport Certification aims to accommodate the growing desire from pet parents to travel with their dogs and cats, and encourage other airports to make the travel experience more welcoming to both people and their pets.

“As travellers seek pet-friendly travel experiences, BNA is thrilled to partner with Mars Petcare and provide these enhancements to earn the first-ever Airport Certification through the Better Cities for Pets programme,” commented Doug Kreulen, President and CEO, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. “We’re excited to announce the installation of our many pet-friendly amenities, including green spaces and relief and hydration stations, and we’re proud to help pave the way toward more pet-friendly travel in the future.”

“Our new Airport Certification is a natural extension of our Better Cities for Pets programme into the travel space, an area where pet parents are looking for more welcoming and accommodating experiences for their pets,” said Ikdeep Singh, Regional President, Mars Petcare North America. “It’s clear that pet parents want to travel with their cats and dogs and working with leaders like BNA help us ensure we’re meeting their needs and delivering on our purpose: A Better World for Pets.”

As the first airport to obtain the new pet-friendly designation, Nashville International Airport has prioritised the safety and ease of travelling with pets and service animals, installing a variety of pet-friendly amenities before and after the security checkpoint. New features include:

• A dedicated Dog Park, located in the Plaza on the fifth floor of Terminal Garage 1 to provide much-needed outdoor green space to travelling pets and pet parents complete with a hydration station and waste stations
• Two curbside relief areas at the North and South terminals, each equipped with a hydration station and waste station
• An indoor relief area located in Concourse D post-security, also equipped with a hydration station and waste station
• Enhanced visual wayfinding signage throughout the airport to make locating pet-friendly amenities easier for travellers
• Celebration of pet ownership throughout the airport, with two custom pet-themed murals in the North and South terminals, where travellers can stop and snap a photo with their pets to document their trip.

With these new spaces installed, pet parents will have options before and after the security checkpoint ensuring a more comfortable airport experience for travellers and their pets and service animals.

To develop the new certification, Mars Petcare collaborated with the Civic Design Centre, a leader in designing public spaces, and American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), leveraging their insights and aviation expertise. The organisations provided feedback and guidance on the certification assessment, including input on relevant amenity enhancements and solutions that would facilitate welcoming, safe, and comfortable travel environments for pets, pet parents, and all other travellers.  

“Travel with pets has increased in the last several years, and the new data on pet parent desires shows that the trend isn’t slowing down,” said Gwen Basaria, Vice President, Member Experience & AAAE Foundation. “As airports and our members look for guidance, tools and resources to help them meet traveller needs while first and foremost maintaining a safe and pleasant travel environment for all, it was important for us to work closely with Mars Petcare in providing insight as they introduced the new Airport Certification through their Better Cities for Pets programme.”