EU court: Dogs in cargo count as baggage | JQJO

The EU's top court ruled that a dog traveling in an aircraft hold counts as baggage, limiting airline liability when an animal goes missing. The case centered on Mona, who escaped before an Iberia flight from Buenos Aires to Barcelona in 2019 and was never found, leaving owner Grisel Ortiz distraught. Iberia accepted responsibility but cited the Montreal Convention’s lower baggage compensation, a position the Luxembourg-based court endorsed, noting no special declaration was made. Ortiz’s lawyer called the advisory judgment disappointing. The Spanish court will issue the final ruling.