Birds on a plane? At first that idea seems a little ridiculous, but several airlines that fly in the Middle East allow falcons to travel in the passenger cabin.
These birds of prey, who compete in pursuit events across the region, are highly prized by their owners and are worth considerable sums. And, no, they can’t just fly to their destination (after all, they are not homing pigeons).
A friend who came across a falcon perched over two seats in the business class section of an Oman Air flight recently. The bird, which was hooded, behaved perfectly well, although my friend said its presence did hold up boarding a little as passengers stopped to have a look or take photos.
Eithad Airways stipulates falcons as one of only two animal species (other than humans) allowed in the main aircraft cabin, the other being guide dogs. Its baggage regulations note that “all other pets are accepted only as manifested cargo and are not permitted within the aircraft cabin or checked baggage”.
Lufthansa, the German airline, also allows falcons on some of its flights, and Emirates allows falcons in the main cabin “between Dubai and certain destinations in Pakistan”.
Apparently the birds are quite clean and their owners have to make certain undertakings regarding hygiene.
In the UAE, owners can apply for an official passport for their falcon. It lasts for three years and serves both as a title deed to the bird and its Cites (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) certificate.
