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New York Post
10-06-2025
- New York Post
Vacation hotspot ripped over ‘ridiculous' new policy on pets in plane cabins: ‘Garbage idea'
People didn't like the idea of sitting next to a massive air bud. Italian air officials have caused uproar among pet parents over a 'ridiculous' new policy that allows medium and large-sized canines to fly with their owners. Under the new guidelines, approved last month by the nation's civil aviation authority ENAC, pets whose weight exceeds 22 pounds will be allowed to travel in the cabin if the airline permits it. Previously, canines of this size were relegated to flying in the cargo hold. 3 Italy's new resolution on traveling with pets stipulates that they must arrive in 'approved carriers' and strapped into a seat, rather than on the ground below. Viktoriya – The resolution stipulated that the pets must be placed in 'approved carriers' that can even be placed on seats, provided they're belted in or otherwise anchored and only if they don't obstruct emergency exits or crew operations. ENAC president Pierluigi Di Palma declared the goal of the policy was to ensure the animals' 'well-being' and make it 'easier for a greater number of passengers to transport their pets by air.' Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy prime minister and transport minister, expressed his support for the new rule on Instagram, writing, 'From now on, dog and cat owners will have less difficulty flying with their four-legged friends. Promise kept!' While the pet-friendly measure received oodles of support from animal-lovers, many frequent flyers appeared less enthused about the idea of sharing their air space with plus-size pooches. 3 The pets' carriers can be placed on the seat provided that they're belted or otherwise anchored to it. New Africa – 'Yea no … I don't want to sit next to a dog on my flight,' griped one naysayer on Instagram. 'Nor do I want to be covered in dog hair, and are they removing the dog hair from its seat before the next person sits down.' Another wrote, 'Stupid really. Imagine a plane in distress, the pets will all go off. Seriously, what a garbage idea, no safety involved.' Others pointed out that the policy would be problematic for people with canine phobias and pet dander allergies. 'This is really hard for people who have a fear of dogs, I mean, they're basically trapped,' observed one critic. 'The idea sounds great for dog owners, but has downsides too.' 'This is ridiculous. It does not take into consideration people with phobias and allergies,' complained one detractor. 'Not everyone keeps their animals as clean as they should, either.' They added, '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!!' 3 Proponents of the new policy argue that pets in seats is 'how it should have always been.' Volha Krayeva – However, some fur fans were on board with the rule change, with one supporter gushing, 'This is how it should have always been, end of story, pets are family, not just animals.' 'An airline that allows me to bring my dog will have my business for life,' declared another. In the US, the size limitations for carry-on pets are at the discretion of the airlines. For instance, United Airlines doesn't have a weight limit but requires that they fly in a kennel that can fit under the seat in front of the owner. However, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to allow travelers to fly with their service animals in the cabin on all U.S. airlines. There is no limit to the number of these specialist canines that can be on each flight and they don't need to be transported in a container. Some flyers have been accused of taking advantage of this rule by pawning off normal pets as service animals. Last month, San Francisco fashion influencer Piêtra Luccas was excoriated online for bringing her 'service' Great Dane on a United Airlines flight.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Italy blasted for 'ridiculous' new cabin rule on planes as passengers ask 'how is this okay?'
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
Local Italy
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Italy
FACT CHECK: Is air travel in Italy really becoming more pet-friendly?
Earlier this month, Italy announced that it had updated its air travel regulations for pets, allowing medium and large dogs to travel in the cabin alongside their owners for the first time. Italy's civil aviation authority ENAC confirmed the policy change in a press release that said pets could now be transported in cabins 'beyond the current limit of 8-10 kg'. "From now on dog and cat owners will have less difficulty flying with their four-legged friends," said Transport Minister and Deputy PM Matteo Salvini on his social media accounts. "Promise kept!" he added. The announcement was hailed by various travel news sites as a " landmark move set to transform pet-friendly travel" and a " pet travel revolution". Il Messaggero newspaper even went so far as to argue the move could have "significant economic repercussions" for the country, enabling Italy to become a European capital for pet tourism. But a closer look reveals that the rule change is unlikely to bring about the revolution these headlines suggest. As political fact-checking site Pagella Politica pointed out, the measure doesn't actually require airlines operating in Italy to increase their weight limit for pets, but merely gives them the option of doing so. Many airlines don't allow pets to travel on their planes at all unless they are service animals; for customers of these companies, the rule change won't make any difference. The new rules also say that pets "must be placed in approved carriers, which can also be placed on seats, without obstructing emergency exits or crew operations," and that these "must be secured with belts or specific anchoring systems." This means any carrier brought into the cabin must be able to fit on a plane seat, usually around 40-50cm in width: not large enough to contain a Labrador, let alone a Saint Bernard. Publicity stunt Salvini needs an easy win: his hard-right, anti-immigrant League party has waned in both popularity and influence in recent years, and is now polling at just over 8 percent, compared to 34 percent in 2019. When joining PM Giorgia Meloni's coalition government in 2022, he pushed hard to become interior minister, but instead found himself shunted into the unglamorous role of minister for transport and infrastructure. Since then, he has spent much of his time trying to cement his legacy through a contested project to build a bridge over the Strait of Messina, while periodically making headlines for arguing with other members of his own coalition. It's not surprising then that he'd make the most of the opportunity to win some support by throwing his weight behind as uncontroversial a campaign as increasing rights for pets and their owners.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- The Independent
Helicopters seized as ‘dangerous' tours over Pompeii halted
Police in Italy have reportedly seized eight helicopters following 'dangerous' tourist flights over the preserved Roman city of Pompeii. An investigation by local prosecutors in Torre Annunziata, Naples, led officers to seize the aircraft after alleged violations of aviation rules by pilots, reported The Times. The Operational Aeronaval Unit of the Guardia di Finanza of Naples has so far seized three helicopters at the request of the Oplontis Prosecutors Office, said local outlet Il Mattino. Four people were found to have broken flying rules before November 2024, including placing tourist luggage on flight controls and operating tours over the ancient ruins near heavily populated areas such as schools and public transport. The Italian city, an archaeological site buried in ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79, is a major tourist draw in Italy, with nearly four million visitors in 2023. Helicopter tours over Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius are offered by several companies in Italy, including Hoverfly and Helitaly. According to investigators, helicopters – one linked to a legal representative of the company Rotortech – held private licences, so were not authorised to operate commercially. Pilots must hold a license from the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) to conduct commercial flights under Italian law. Officials say several aircraft were flying unlicensed, had not undergone mandatory maintenance checks and were in areas where they did not have approval to operate. White petals were also allegedly thrown from a helicopter by pilots to celebrate a Pompeii wedding without authorisation from ENAC. The helicopter tours and 'illegal activities' were deemed 'extremely dangerous to public and private safety' said the public prosecutors' office. A helicopter tour company whose sightseeing aircraft broke apart and crashed in New York, killing the pilot and a family of five from Spain, shut down operations earlier this month. The FAA, in a statement posted on X, said it would launch an immediate review of New York Helicopter Tours' operating license and safety record. The move came hours after New York Senator Chuck Schumer had called on federal authorities to revoke the operating permits of New York Helicopter Tours.
