Pets Transported on Planes to Be Considered Baggage

The European Union Court of Justice has ruled that pets transported by passengers on airplanes are to be classified as baggage if they go missing during travel. This decision comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed by a Spanish woman whose dog went missing before a flight from Buenos Aires to Barcelona. The animal, being large and heavy, had to be shipped in the cargo hold, but it escaped during handling and was never found. The woman sued Iberia Airlines for emotional damages, demanding 5,000 euros, while the airline argued compensation should be capped at about 1,600 euros under the Montreal Convention’s baggage limits.

A Spanish court referred the matter to the EU Court of Justice to determine whether pets should be treated as baggage under airline regulations. The court concluded that, for the sake of consistent legal application across EU member states, pets accompanying passengers on flights are to be regarded as checked baggage, just like other personal items carried in the hold. This ruling clarifies liability limits for airlines in such cases, aligning pet transportation with existing baggage compensation rules.

However, the high court noted that passengers retain the option to declare a special value for their belongings or pets before a flight and pay an extra fee to secure greater compensation in case of loss. The decision does not change the airlines’ obligations to ensure animal welfare during transportation. The ruling is expected to prompt all EU countries to implement the same procedure for cases involving lost pets on flights.