EU court rules pets like this traveller are classed as luggage, not passengers.
Credit : Javier Brosch, Shutterstock
Here’s one ruling that’s not going down well with pet owners. The European Union’s top court has decided that animals travelling in the hold count as ‘baggage’, not passengers, in a case that’s left a lot of people fuming.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) handed down the decision this week while ruling on two separate aviation disputes. Both ended in the airlines’ favour — but it’s the story about the missing dog that’s got everyone talking.
A lost dog sparks outrage
It started with a heartbreaking case in Spain. A woman took Iberia Airlines to court after her dog escaped while being loaded onto a flight in Buenos Aires and was never found again. She asked for €5,000 in damages, saying the loss caused her huge emotional distress.
Iberia didn’t deny what happened, but said compensation should fall under the same rules used for lost luggage, not people. The dispute reached the EU’s top judges — who sided with the airline.
According to their ruling, pets aren’t classed as passengers under international air travel law. They fall into the same category as baggage, which means owners only receive limited compensation unless they’ve declared their pet’s value in advance and paid extra for it.
“A pet cannot be considered a passenger,” the court said, referring to the Montreal Convention, the treaty that governs international flights.
The judges did stress that airlines must still comply with animal welfare rules, so pets must be transported safely. But legally speaking, the decision couldn’t have been clearer – or colder.
It’s a verdict that’s been hard for many people to swallow. For the woman who lost her dog, it’s not just a legal loss. It’s a reminder that, in the eyes of aviation law, her pet was never more than cargo.
A lightning strike and a long delay
The same day, the court also ruled in favour of Austrian Airlines over a seven-hour delay on a flight from Romania to Vienna.
The passenger had asked for €400 in compensation, arguing the delay was unacceptable. But the airline said the flight had been hit by lightning, forcing safety checks before take-off. The judges agreed, saying lightning strikes count as ‘extraordinary circumstances’ – things airlines can’t control, and therefore don’t have to pay for.
They added that safety must always come first, even if that means long delays. And while it sounds terrifying, lightning strikes on planes aren’t rare at all – most commercial aircraft are hit once or twice a year. Thanks to modern design, passengers are rarely at risk, but the planes do have to be checked carefully before flying again.
Cold comfort for travellers
So what does all this mean for travellers? In short – don’t expect much sympathy from the law.
If your flight is delayed by a freak event like lightning, you probably won’t get compensation. And if your pet flies in the cargo hold, they’re not legally treated as a family member — they’re “property”.
For pet owners, it’s a brutal reality check. For passengers, it’s a reminder that safety rules come first, even when it means hours of waiting.
Still, for anyone who’s ever called their dog or cat “family”, the idea that the law sees them as baggage feels deeply wrong. The judges may have ruled – but outside the courtroom, hearts are definitely not on their side.
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