Italy blasted for 'ridiculous' new cabin rule on planes as passengers ask 'how is this okay?'

Daily Mail​

10-06-2025

Italy has made a major rule change that's set to make air travel much more pet-friendly.
Large dogs - once confined to the plane's hold - will now be allowed to travel in the cabin alongside their owners.
Before the rule was introduced pets that weighed over 8-10kg had to be transported in the hold.
Italy's civil aviation authority ENAC said in a press release that the new rules would make it easier for a 'greater number of passengers to transport their pets by air'.
Matteo Salvini, transport minister and deputy PM, posted on social media: 'From now on dog and cat owners will have less difficulty flying with their four-legged friends. Promise kept!'
But while the news was celebrated by some holidaymakers, others were much less impressed by the new rule.
Posting on Instagram, one person said: 'I don't want to sit on a seat where a dirty dog was.'
Another said: 'Stupid really. Imagine a plane in distress, the pets will all go off. Seriously what a garbage idea, no safety involved.'
A third blasted: 'This is ridiculous. It does not take into consideration ideation people with phobias and allergies.
'Not everyone keeps their animals as clean as they should either. Guess who is going to get sued if a dog attacks another passenger?
'I love dogs but this is going to bite the airlines and some passengers in the bum. Yes pun intended!'
Someone else agreed: 'The dog can sit next to its owner but what if the person next to the owner is allergic or is afraid - how is this ok?'
But, while the rule change might sound attractive to animal owners, there are a few catches to the policy.
Airlines in Italy aren't required to change their policies to reflect the new rules.
Many still only allow service animals to fly in the cabin.
Animals are also required to be 'placed in approved carriers' which can be put on seats, providing they don't 'obstruct emergency exits or crew operations'.
The containers need to be secured with belts or 'specific anchoring systems'.
As the carriers need to be placed on the aircraft's seats, it might rule out any large dog owners from taking advantage of the policy.
It comes after British Airways banned cabin crew from posting on social media from their layover hotels, in a new policy.
Staff have also been asked to remove any existing photos taken at layover hotels from their social media accounts