Travellers relocating with short-snouted (brachycephalic) dog and cat breeds have until 25 October to book hold transport on ITA Airways, as the carrier will suspend its AVIH service for such animals from 26 October 2025. The policy change, posted to ITA’s website and aligned with IATA animal-welfare guidelines, cites elevated respiratory-risk for breeds such as bulldogs, pugs and Persian cats.
Existing reservations confirmed by 25 October will be honoured—even for travel after the cutoff—but cannot be modified. From 26 October onward, affected pets may only travel in-cabin if they meet weight and carrier-size limits, prompting mobility providers to reassess pet-relocation strategies.
Specialist relocation firms warn that demand for ground transport via France or Germany could spike, as Lufthansa and Air France-KLM still accept some brachycephalic breeds in ventilated cargo holds during cooler months. Shippers should also review Italian quarantine rules: pets arriving by road must still enter through a designated Travellers’ Point of Entry and carry updated rabies titres.
For employers covering pet costs in assignment packages, the move may increase budgets by €500-€1,000 due to longer routing or specialist pet-courier services. ITA Airways says the decision follows a three-year study by its veterinary advisory board and mirrors similar bans by Singapore Airlines and KLM.
The airline added that it plans to expand in-cabin pet capacity on A330-900neo aircraft from December, partially offsetting the policy’s impact.
Existing reservations confirmed by 25 October will be honoured—even for travel after the cutoff—but cannot be modified. From 26 October onward, affected pets may only travel in-cabin if they meet weight and carrier-size limits, prompting mobility providers to reassess pet-relocation strategies.
Specialist relocation firms warn that demand for ground transport via France or Germany could spike, as Lufthansa and Air France-KLM still accept some brachycephalic breeds in ventilated cargo holds during cooler months. Shippers should also review Italian quarantine rules: pets arriving by road must still enter through a designated Travellers’ Point of Entry and carry updated rabies titres.
For employers covering pet costs in assignment packages, the move may increase budgets by €500-€1,000 due to longer routing or specialist pet-courier services. ITA Airways says the decision follows a three-year study by its veterinary advisory board and mirrors similar bans by Singapore Airlines and KLM.
The airline added that it plans to expand in-cabin pet capacity on A330-900neo aircraft from December, partially offsetting the policy’s impact.
