Overview
- Italy’s civil aviation authority ENAC has approved the policy for intra-Italy routes only.
- Owners must buy an additional seat; dogs are leashed, muzzled, and placed at a window position on an absorbent mat with the owner seated alongside.
- ITA describes the measure as a pilot following a prior Milan–Rome test flight, and it has not announced the first date for regular operations.
- Most European airlines cap cabin pets at about 8 kilograms, whereas ITA had already allowed up to 10 kilograms before proposing the 30‑kilogram threshold.
- Lufthansa, a 41% shareholder in ITA, says it does not plan to adopt the policy on its own flights, and ITA will offer seat changes for passengers with allergies or fear of dogs.