September 22, 2025

Italy is piloting pet “friendlier” flights

When there is a will, there is a way 💚🤍❤️

Tomorrow ITA Airways (before Alitalia) will operate its first ever +10kg pet in cabin flight. Medium size dogs will fly in cabin without a pet carrier (pinch me is this even real?!)

We are in such exciting times, where Italy is proving to the world what pet friendly flights really mean.

Testing what the market wants and needs.

The initiative “PET Care on Board” is, at the moment, a one time only experimental flight under the ENAC – Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile that since May, together with the Italian Ministry of Transport, made an official statement of allowing larger pets in cabin.

It’s not yet possible to book under the new guidelines and no official press release from the airline has been published so far.

✅ What we know for now:

Tuesday 23-09-25
Departure 09h00 CEST ┃ Arrival 10h10 CEST
Duration 1h 10 min ┃ Distance 471 km

→ Flight: Airbus ITY2029 / AZ2029 Milan LIN – Rome FCO
→ Aircraft A220-100 I-ADVG
→ Seat configuration: 118 seats (8 Business, 110 Economy)
→ Codeshare with Lufthansa LH5179
→ PETC: 2 dogs over 10 kg
→ Dogs will be seated by the window next to their owners

⛔ Some restrictions:
→ Dogs will be secured with harnesses and muzzles
→ The middle seat will be empty, so one full row for pet parent + pet
→ Use of absorvent pads on seats

This will be a short demo flight, a 1h 10 min from take off to landing. I’m really excited to see what’s the outcome after it and what are going to be the next steps if it will continue., there’s a will 💚🤍❤️

👉 But I have so many questions:
– Will there be a longer trial period?
– Will they allow other pets in the near future?
– Will they try longer routes and outside Italy?
– Will they mark flights as pet friendly so others can avoid them?

The massive improvement for me is that for the first time ever in Europe, a major air carrier will allow medium size dogs sit in cabin alongside their owners besides guide dogs and service dogs, instead of being relegated to the cargo hold.

– Could that mean the end of animals in cargo is soon, and very real?
– Could once and for all pet welfare align with aviation safety?
– Will be this the start we need to seriously rethink old systems globally?
– Which airline and country will be next?

Innovation in aviation doesn’t only mean faster planes or biofuel.
In 2025, it should also mean making room for all type of families, animals included.

Read the full article from Corriere della Sera here 👉 https://www.corriere.it/