Airfreight services for one of the most popular pastimes in the Middle East, falconry, are fast picking up pace towards the next season, which starts in October.
The value of this high-net-worth hobby is evinced by the $3.46 million in falconry sales at the 2025 International Falcon Breeders Auction in Saudi Arabia.
In the previous year, $1.6 million was raised during a falconry auction in Riyadh.
One of the charter companies involved in the air cargo specifics of falconry clients based in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, primarily, is Chapman Freeborn.
A statement release by the service provider said: “Falcons are both culturally significant and of exceptional value across the Middle East. Some prized birds are valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, making them among the most precious live cargo entrusted to aviation.”
The charterer adds that its falconry-related services cater primarily for royal families and high-net-worth individuals across the Middle East.
“Depending on the client’s needs and preferences, the scale of these operations can vary considerably. Some involve just a handful of birds on a private jet, while others demand extensive planning and coordination across multiple stakeholders.
“Transporting falcons is not something that airlines deal with very often, which means they’re not able to easily handle the intricate requirements involved. Every charter involves careful compliance checks and coordination with relevant authorities to meet international standards.”
Although physical accommodation during the flight can entail dedicated stands and specialized cages, ‘clients’ can also choose “regular passenger seats covered in protective sheeting as falcons can make quite a mess”.
Not ruffling any feathers is another large part of what’s required.
“To make sure the birds are calm and comfortable, they remain hooded throughout the journey – standard practice in falcon transportation – while their handlers and trainers remain close by and check in with them from time to time.”
And if the raptors get hungry, snacking is in order, sorted like many of the manifold checks to cater for highly-prized falcons not flying, but in flight.
“If live prey, such as pigeons, are travelling with the falcons as feed, the crew is also tasked with keeping the cargo hold at the right temperature.
“Chapman Freeborn’s expertise has been put to the test many times during peak falconry season, arranging at short notice the transport of dozens of falcons alongside passengers and their belongings,” the company says.
