A Siberian cat named Reinhardt recently flew business class on a Turkish Airlines Boeing 787-9, prancing down the aisle and then settling calmly on his human’s lap like Don Vito Corleone petting a cat. Godfather. Cute? Absolutely. But as with all pets in premium cabins, there’s a bigger question at play here.
There are travel influencers, and then there is Reinhardt.
Reinhardt is a Siberian cat and, according to his own website, an experienced “cat traveler” whose adventures are intended to help others learn more about pet-friendly travel. Its website says the cats behind the account have traveled together to 15 countries with guides on everything from leash training to flying with the cat. It’s not exactly my lane, but I admit that in premium cabins, Reinhardt appears much more reserved than many human passengers.
Recent video shows Reinhardt aboard a Turkish Airlines business class flight on a Boeing 787-9. He doesn’t hide in the carrier or desperately try to escape. Instead, he calmly walks down the aisle, looks around the cabin, and eventually settles into his man’s lap.
It’s all very Don Vito Corleone: a powerful figure sitting quietly petting a cat while everyone else realizes who’s really in charge. (In this case, the cat…)
Nice, but I still have my usual concerns.
Turkish Airlines has a reputation for being more pet-friendly than many global carriers. Cats, dogs and some small birds can travel in the cabin as long as weight, carriage and documentation regulations are met. Turetsky says pets traveling in the cabin cannot exceed 8kg, including the carrier, and the carrier must fit within the specified dimensions.
Reinhardt’s own website has praised Turkish Airlines in the past, calling it a “truly pet-friendly” airline and noting that passengers traveling with pets should book window seats as a precaution.
I know some readers will accuse me of lacking a sense of humor when it comes to pets on board. I don’t. Reinhardt is adorable, and if every animal behaved the way this cat behaves, the debate about pets in airplane cabins would be much less heated.
But that’s the problem. Most airline pet policies are written for the average case, not the ideal.
A calm cat sitting on your lap makes for an adorable video. A nervous pet that meows, sheds heavily, causes allergies, dirty the interior, scratches a passenger, or blocks the exit is a completely different matter. Airlines have to build rules around less attractive options.
I also remain skeptical about pets roaming around premium cabins, even for a short time. The business class cabin is still a shared space rather than a separate lounge. Other passengers may have allergies, fears, or simply do not want to share the aisle with someone else’s animal. This doesn’t mean Reinhardt did anything wrong. This means that the line between “cute cat content” and “why is that animal hanging out in the salon?” is subtler than beloved influencers may admit, and I’m tired of the “rules for you, but not for me” approach to this kind of content.
Corleone cat wins this round
To be fair, the Reinhardt seems to be the animal best suited for transporting pets in premium cabins. A calm, trained person, accustomed to traveling and close to his person. This is very different from the chaotic pet incidents I often write about, where animals are treated like accessories until they become a problem for everyone else.
For better or worse, traveling with pets is here to stay. Airlines may limit, regulate and charge for this, but passengers increasingly want to travel with animals. Some approach this responsibly. Others don’t.
This is why enforcement matters.
If the cat is properly booked, within the limits of its weight and carrying capacity, sits in an appropriate place and is not in anyone’s way, I’m not going to pretend it’s a disaster. But airlines must also be prepared to say no when passengers treat the cabin like a pet café.
Reinhardt may have been a gentle feline, but he still crossed the line into hospitality.
CONCLUSION
Reinhardt, a Siberian outdoor cat, recently appeared in business class on a Turkish Airlines 787-9, calmly strolling down the aisle before settling into his human’s lap.
In some ways it’s fascinating content and I can see why it resonates. Turkish Airlines is particularly pet-friendly, and Reinhardt seems to be much better behaved than many human passengers. And yet my skepticism remains. Pets in cabins only work if the rules are followed, the animal is truly well-behaved, and other passengers are not forced to follow other people’s tourist fantasies.
In this case, Reinhardt seems to have succeeded… the cat made Turkish Airlines business class even more civilized. But please leave the cat at home…
image: @siberian_reinhardt / Instagram
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