ITA Airways, the Lufthansa Group-backed Italian flag carrier, has launched “Large Dog On Board” — the first European scheduled-flight service allowing large dogs to travel inside the passenger cabin without a traditional carrier. Effective August 3, 2026, the service permits dogs up to 30 kg in Business Class and up to 15 kg in Economy Class on selected domestic Italian flights, with a maximum of two large dogs per flight.
The service follows a successful demonstration flight between Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino and authorization from ENAC, Italy’s civil aviation authority, which revised cabin pet-transport rules in 2025. Owners must book through ITA Airways’ Customer Information Assistance Office at least four days before departure, purchase an additional seat, and ensure the dog is microchipped, vaccinated, leashed, and muzzled. Dogs are assigned designated window-area spaces with absorbent mats.
For the pet industry, the move is a regulated commercial validation of pet humanization extending into travel infrastructure. It creates demand for travel accessories — crash-tested harnesses, calming aids, portable bowls, and absorbent mats — and potentially normalizes cross-border pet mobility. ITA Airways plans to expand the service to more domestic routes and then to international flights pending regulator approvals, which could pressure other European and transatlantic carriers to follow suit.
