Falcons to Go Jet Set on Lufthansa

Berlin: They may not get their favourite mice and small birds on a tray, but falcons -- the raptor beloved by rich Middle Eastern hunting enthusiasts -- are soon to be allowed in the cabin on Lufthansa flights.

The German airline said on Monday that passengers would from late next year be able to take their hunting birds onboard in a newly-designed device called the "Falcon Master" tray, which can be fitted with a cage.

"Falconry is very popular in many countries of the Middle East, and the 'Falcon Master' developed by VIP & Executive Jet Solutions allows the owner to take their falcons or other birds in the cabin with them," said the airline's technology division, Lufthansa Technik.

The device is now in the design phase, and the certification process would likely take six to nine months before it is ready for use, a Lufthansa spokeswoman told AFP.

The special stand is adjustable in height, width and depth and can be installed on a seat of all of Lufthansa's Airbus, Boeing and other aircraft types.

Falconry has a long tradition in Arab culture. The United Arab Emirates runs wild falcon conservation projects as well as breeding farms and veterinary hospitals for the animals.

For centuries hunting with falcons was a major source of meat in the harsh desert region, and the birds remain a national emblem, found on everything from corporate logos to banknotes.

But with wildlife under pressure, hunting has been restricted, and many affluent Emiratis now travel abroad to locations as far as Morocco, Pakistan and Central Asia.

Air passengers on many Middle Eastern airlines have been surprised to come face-to-face with the birds of prey majestically spreading their wings while sitting next to Arab sheiks.

The hunting birds wear hoods and are usually tethered to the passenger's glove, not free to flap around the cabin.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad airline says on its website that "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."

Royal Jordanian also states that "falcons may be carried in the cabin" on many flights, provided they are "properly hooded", adding that "a chain or rope must be securely attached to the aircraft seat and the leg of each bird".

Now the German airline with the crane logo -- which has struggled with tough competition from several Gulf-based airlines on long-haul flights -- is also planning to open its cabins to the passengers' feathered friends.

It said it had designed the bird-transport devices "in close cooperation with falcon experts from the Middle East".

The developers had taken special care to ensure that not just the falcons, but also their human owners and other passengers have a good flight, promising that "the 'Falcon Master' ensures maximum hygienic protection of the cabin walls, seats and carpets from soiling by the birds".