We have all experience the hassle of flying on a plane crammed in the middle seat
for hours. But can you imagine seated next to not just one or two but 80 birds on
board?
An image of a Saudi prince who brought 80 birds on a plane has gone viral on Jan. 31.
Each falcon appears to have its own seat, and in-flight entertainment system.
While we don’t know which airline (or which royal) was involved in this, it seems they are more than willing to accommodate the feathered
passengers.
Between 2002 and 2013, the UAE government issued more than 28,000 falcon
passports, according to a report by Gulf News.
Transporting falcons in the Middle East is a common practice. Falconry is
popular pastime in the UAE.
The falcon is also the national bird of the UAE, so it makes sense that airlines flying
out of there would accommodate the birds and transit needs.
Also to those who are not aware, falcon gets their own passports. The passport
allows a falcon to travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,
Morocco, and Syria.
The passport is valid for three years, according to the UAE’s Ministry of Climate
Change and Environment.
A representative for the airline Flydubai told the National that falcons must have their
own seat and are placed on a cloth to avoid accidents.
According to the same report, the business-class cabin of his Flydubai flight in April
2015 was reserved for falcons — so this isn’t as rare of an occurrence as we may
think.
On Qatar Airways, you can bring a maximum of six falcons in economy class. Etihad
Airways also allows falcons on its planes.
“We accept the carriage of falcons in the main aircraft cabin provided that all the
necessary documents have been obtained. We also accept falcons as checked
baggage.”
So if you are looking to transport a falcon in the near future, it may not be as hard as
you think — depending on where you’re going, of course.