Flying canines count as cargo, EU court rules

The European Union’s top court on Oct 16 ruled that a dog travelling in a plane’s cargo hold counts as baggage, meaning airlines are not required to pay higher compensation if the animal is lost.

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The ruling stems from a dispute between Spanish airline Iberia and a passenger whose dog, Mona, went missing before a flight from Buenos Aires to Barcelona in October 2019.

The dog, which had to travel in a pet carrier in the aircraft’s hold due to its size and weight, escaped while being taken to the plane and was never seen again.

Mona ran across the airport runway while being chased by three vans, according to her owner Grisel Ortiz, who said her mother watched the scene from inside the plane.