Overview

• The Court of Justice of the European Union said companion animals transported by air can be treated as checked baggage under the Montreal Convention.
• Compensation for a lost pet is generally capped at 1,000 Special Drawing Rights, about €1,200, unless a higher value was declared at check-in.
• The interpretation covers both material and moral damage, confirming that higher awards are not available absent a special declaration of interest.
• The case stems from a 2019 Iberia flight between Buenos Aires and Barcelona in which passenger Grisel Ortiz’s dog was lost; she seeks €5,000 for moral harm.
• Iberia accepts responsibility within the baggage regime, and Ortiz’s lawyer expressed disappointment as the Spanish court now applies the EU court’s guidance.