Breaking this rule has cost one passenger dearly. According to the German daily newspaper Blick, a man flying with Swiss was fined 860 euros for taking his dog out of its travel carrier.
The incident occurred on a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, to São Paulo, Brazil, in late 2024. The passenger, a German national, was travelling with his small dog, which weighed under 17.6 pounds (8 kg).
A costly cuddle
The dog's carrier was meant to be kept under the seat in front of him for the entire flight. However, the passenger repeatedly took his dog out for a cuddle.
A stark reminder from the airline
This behaviour did not go down well with either the airline or Switzerland's Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA).
Following the incident, Swiss issued a reminder to passengers travelling with pets: “The free movement of a dog or cat in the cabin is not permitted.”