Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 42, 2025.

Introduction.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) has ruled that pets transported by air can legally be classified as baggage, meaning airlines are not obligated to pay higher compensation if an animal is lost unless a special declaration of value was made at check-in. The case stemmed from the disappearance of a dog named Mona during an Iberia Airlines flight from Buenos Aires to Barcelona, after escaping from its crate before boarding and never being found. The dog’s owner, a girl identified as Felicísima, sought €5,000 in damages for emotional distress, but the court limited compensation to €1,578.82, aligning it with standard lost luggage claims under the Montréal Convention. The ECJ concluded that pets are not “passengers” but part of baggage for liability purposes, even though the EU recognizes animal welfare as a general interest. The decision sets a legal precedent for air travelers, highlighting that without a declared value, pets checked into cargo holds are treated the same as ordinary luggage in cases of loss or damage.