Pets only count as baggage, EU court rules after distraught plane passenger’s beloved dog goes missing in transit

It was a dog-gone crazy decision.

Europe’s apical tribunal has ruled that pets successful nan cargo clasp tin beryllium classified arsenic luggage, precluding airlines for paying much successful compensation should nan pet spell missing.

The determination harks backmost to conflict betwixt Spanish hose Iberia and a rider whose dog, Mona, went missing successful 2019 conscionable earlier a formation from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Barcelona, Spain, the Guardian reported.

According to nan tribunal hearing, nan pup had been placed successful a typical crate owed to its size and weight, but reportedly collapsed loose while being ferried to nan plane.

While wrong nan plane, Ortiz’s mother reportedly watched Mona tally crossed nan tarmac while being chased by 3 vans, nan proprietor recounted, according to CBS.

Despite their efforts, nan pooch could “not beryllium recovered” and has not been seen since, according to papers revenge by nan European Union Court Of Justice (ECJ).

“Many group laughter because they don’t understand what Mona intends to me,” Ortiz said during an question and reply published successful Argentine media successful January 2020. “Since she went missing, each I do is outcry and enactment glued to my phone, waiting for a miracle.”

Ortiz created a Facebook page to effort and glean accusation connected Mona’s whereabouts and moreover offered a monetary reward for her fur baby’s return, but nan run has yet to output immoderate leads.

Ortiz besides revenge a declare seeking €5,000 ($6,704) for “non-material damage” against Iberia, which led to a six-year tribunal case.

The bearer accepted liability for nan nonaccomplishment of nan pet but not nan size of nan claim, which they felt should beryllium capped astatine nan little magnitude group for checked baggage nether nan Montreal Convention, an world statement that covers hose liability.

This declare was subsequently handed to nan ECJ, which yet sided pinch Iberia connected nan grounds that pets could beryllium classified arsenic baggage.

“Even though nan mean meaning of nan connection ‘baggage’ refers to objects, this unsocial does not lead to nan conclusion that pets autumn extracurricular that concept,” they declared.

They besides decreed that nan rider didn’t make a typical declaration while checking successful and was truthful only entitled to $1,842.87.

The girl’s lawyer successful Madrid, Carlos Villa Corta, said he opposed nan Luxembourg court’s ruling connected nan crushed that“no hose successful nan world will judge a typical declaration of value” for a pet successful nan hold.

“I judge that a awesome opportunity has been missed to proceed raising consciousness of nan authorities of animals and nan group who attraction for them,” he said. “Ultimately, nan ECJ considers that pets do not merit typical aliases enhanced ineligible protection compared to a elemental suitcase.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t nan first clip a canine has gone missing successful transit. In 2024, a canine named Moose was accidentally near disconnected a flight from North Carolina to Seattle and later escaped nan airport, nan hose said.

It was expected to depart aboard an Alaska Airlines formation retired of Raleigh-Durham International Airport pinch its proprietor connected Tuesday night, but a “misstep successful nan loading process” near nan canine disconnected nan plane.

Thankfully, pursuing an extended search, nan airport’s occurrence rescue squad retrieved nan pooch and reunited it pinch its owner.