Bark Air, a new airline that puts dogs before their human companions, is set to make its first flight on Thursday.
Bark, a pet company founded in 2011 that sells dog food and other products, announced a new aerial experience for canines in April. This is the second air travel service to recognize the commercial stress and inconvenience and promote itself by providing food for pets before passengers. Air travel can be good for animals. K9 Jets, a UK-based public charter operator, allows passengers’ pets to travel alongside them in the aircraft cabin, rather than in a crate in the cargo hold of a commercial aircraft.
“We’re excited to leverage the insights we’ve learned over the years to create a truly dog-first experience that’s completely different than taking dogs from the ground to the sky,” said Matt, Bark co-founder and CEO. Meeker said in April: “We believe this initiative will help raise awareness of our brand’s mission and values, introduce more dog lovers to the Bark family, and enrich the lives of dogs and their people around the world.”
The first flight from New York to Los Angeles on Thursday was sold out, according to Bark’s reservations website. The company said it has launched an air travel experience to make long-distance travel more comfortable for dogs who do not fit under the seats in front of passengers on commercial aircraft.
“Too often dogs are denied travel, stuffed in duffel bags or endure the stress of flying as cargo,” the company said in April when it announced the flights.
Jo Gall
Bark Air says it will offer “white paw service” to its dog customers. These guests can even socialize with other dogs in what the company calls a “dog-centric” room configuration. Like first-class passengers, dogs on board will be provided with treats, noise-cancelling ear plugs, a beverage of your choice and other surprises, the company said.
Initially, the service will fly between the New York City metro area and Los Angeles, and from New York to London. The company said more routes will be added soon.
Bark Air will operate as a public charter service aboard its spacious Gulfstream G5 jets. We do not own or operate any aircraft. Each dog ticket comes with a single human pass. Families can also purchase additional passes. Children under 18 years of age are not permitted on board. There are no size or breed restrictions for dogs.
Jo Gall
The service is not cheap. A one-way flight from New York to Los Angeles in June costs $6,000 per dog and person. A New York-London ticket costs $8,000.
Meeker acknowledged the high cost of the service in his May letter but said he expects prices to come down as demand increases.
“This is expensive for most families, but it’s cheaper than most options today. And that’s also how most innovative products and services get started,” he said. “Televisions, telephones, VCRs and DVD players, automobiles, train and boat travel, and even human air travel – all of these started out at very high prices until the demand was proven and costs could be lowered by serving the public. there is. .”
