02/27/2026, 07:1602/27/2026, 07:18
The Italian Lufthansa subsidiary Ita Airways is the first airline in Europe to allow larger dogs on board its planes. In the future, pets weighing up to 30 kilograms will be allowed to fly on Ita aircraft, the airline announced in Rome. For example, German Shepherds, Dalmatians or Bull Terriers can fall into this weight class. The space for the four-legged friend must be paid extra.
So far, most airlines have a maximum weight of eight kilograms. At Ita, dogs up to ten kilos are now allowed. The plan for even heavier animals is seen by some in the industry as a pilot project.
In response to a request from the German Press Agency, the parent company said that there are currently no such plans for Lufthansa. “Our airlines generally decide independently when it comes to details about the product range.”
Ita boss: Dogs are now often “part of the family”
Initially the offer is only limited to domestic flights within Italy. The national aviation authority Enac has already granted permission. The dogs must wear a muzzle and be on a leash. They are always assigned a window seat where they have to sit on a particularly absorbent carpet on the floor. The owner gets the space next to it.
Ita justifies the innovation with the desire of many passengers to take their animals on the plane with them on holiday trips. Its German managing director Joerg Eberhart said that nowadays pets are often “part of the family”. “We want every journey to begin and end together, without separations.”
Passengers who are afraid of dogs are allowed to change
Until now, larger dogs have had to be stowed in a cage in the luggage compartment along with their suitcases when traveling by plane. This can be a traumatic experience for animals due to the confinement, noise and temperatures. Many dog owners therefore prefer to travel long distances by car, leave the animals behind or forego traveling altogether.
However, not everyone will like it if large dogs are on board in the future. After a test flight from Milan to Rome a few months ago, Ita announced that passengers would be allowed to change seats if they were afraid of dogs or had an allergy.
Lufthansa has held a 41 percent stake in the former Alitalia since last year, but it wants to increase its shares. The Italian state remains the majority owner. There is not yet an exact date for when the first scheduled flight with large dogs on board will take off. (sda/dpa)