25 November 2025

Pets up to 30 kg in the cabin: the guidelines

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has approved the ENAC resolution that allows the marketing of seats for pets up to 30 kg on board airliners, alongside the owners and in compliance with safety standards

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has approved the resolution of the ENAC Board of Directors of 7 November relating to the Operational Guidelines designed to provide airlines with a framework aimed at managing the acceptance, in the passenger cabin, of pets weighing more than the current limits, up to 30 kg.

"Allowing our animal friends, full members of the family, to travel in the cabin has become a reality, in implementation of art. 9 of the Constitution, in compliance with animal welfare and new social and cultural needs. We are the first country to adopt such an approach that does not consider pets as packages", commented ENAC President Pierluigi Di Palma.

The Guidelines, which follow the document approved last May, incorporate the experiences gained with the first experiments, which have made it possible to validate the procedures in full compliance with flight safety. In mid-September, in fact, the ITA Airways company carried out a demonstration flight which was followed by expressions of interest from various airlines, with two dogs in the cabin. Also present on the flight were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini, the President of ENAC Pierluigi Di Palma and the President of ITA Airways Sandro Pappalardo.

The Italian path was also presented at the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), during the 42nd General Assembly held last September, receiving attention and applause: an opportunity to highlight, on the one hand, the risks of transporting animals in the hold and, on the other, to invite the international community to review the standards in a more inclusive way.

As a result of the trials, initial evaluations indicated the concrete feasibility of placing dogs up to 30 kg in cabin configurations commonly used in scheduled air transport, without compromising the safety and comfort standards of passengers and pets.

With the introduction of specific operational measures and authorization requirements, the presence of small, medium and large pets in the passenger cabin will be allowed on commercial flights in Italy, up to a total maximum of six units, in full compliance with operational safety standards.

The aircraft operators concerned will have to comply with the ENAC Guidelines, adopting suitable procedures to ensure a safe and respectful travel experience for everyone. ENAC will continue to monitor and update the provisions on the basis of the results of the experiments and operational evidence, with the aim of consolidating Italy's role as an international reference point in the air transport of pets.

"ENAC," added President Di Palma, "confirms its strong orientation towards meeting the challenges of social evolution, consolidates the culture of animal welfare in air transport and confirms its commitment to promoting innovative and inclusive solutions for the aviation of the future, thus setting a positive example for all other countries in the world".

Edited by the Editorial staff, Avion Tourism Magazine

Text source: Enac/Mit Press Office

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