Overview
- The European Court of Justice held that the Montreal Convention’s baggage regime applies to animals transported in the hold.
- The test case involved Mona, a dog that escaped its crate at Buenos Aires in 2019 before an Iberia flight to Barcelona and was never found.
- Without a pre-flight special declaration raising liability, compensation is limited to the baggage cap, with reporting indicating an entitlement of €1,578.82 in this case.
- Judges said EU animal-welfare goals do not alter the liability framework, provided transport rules protecting welfare are respected.
- The ruling guides the Spanish court on the pending award and offers airlines operating in Europe greater legal certainty on exposure.