Geppino, the first dog passenger on a plane: at a cost of 1.500 euros.

On Saturday 8 August 2026, Geppino reached an important milestone: he is the first dog-passenger to fly in the cabin from Palermo to Milan Linate with ITA Airways.

Geppino is a 13-year-old, 29-kilogram sharpei who was brought on board, along with his owner, thanks to the new Large Dog On Board service , active from August 3, 2026. But where does the mess and waste come from?

The dog needed a dedicated seat, so Geppino's owner had to purchase two separate tickets, which, that day, were only available in business class. To this amount, he had to add a pet fee of 95 euros. Conclusion: Geppino's flight cost his owner more than 1.500 euros!

This is how the Large Dog On Board service works

• It is reserved for dogs weighing more than the normal cabin weight limit and up to 30 kg.
• The dog travels in the cabin, without a carrier, in a specially designated space.
• It's available only on certain domestic flights identified as “Large Dog”.
• ITA can carry maximum two large dogs per flight: one up to 30 kg in Business and one up to 15 kg in Economy.
• The service must be booked at least 4 days before e only through the CIAO Contact Center of ITA; it cannot be purchased online and web check-in is not possible.

The decisive step for the transportation of dogs in the cabin dates back to November 25, 2025 , when the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport formally approved the ENAC guidelines, allowing authorized airlines to sell cabin seats for pets weighing up to 30 kg on domestic commercial flights. ENAC calls Italy the first country in the world to adopt this option.

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