BARK Air officially launched this week, completing its first flight from New York to Los Angeles on Thursday. The airline also flies to London and plans to add more routes in the coming months.
Joe Gall/BARK
hide caption
caption conversion
Joe Gall/BARK
Flying with your dog in first class sounds like a pipe dream for many pet lovers. But a small new airline launched this week aims to make the “white leg experience” a reality.
BARK Air describes itself as “the world’s first air travel experience designed specifically for dogs, then their companions.”
“BARK Air has taken the typical white glove experience of the human first class experience and redirected all that pampering towards dogs – from booking to arrival, to in-flight services and Once off the plane, the dogs will truly be VIP guests and be treated with positive luxury. , curated experiences,” it said in one announced last month.
BARK Air officially took off on Wednesday afternoon, when the airline’s first flight carried six dogs of various breeds – from Chihuahuas to Golden Retrievers – and 11 people (both passengers and crew) from New York to Los Angeles.
According to BARK Chief of Staff Katharine Enos, the very important pups were treated to chicken-flavored puppuccinos, special cupcakes and a shoe — on a plate — for a snack. She told NPR via email that there was “no drama at all.”
“Brooklyn (dachshund) and Eddy (golden) [were] friends and play and the little dogs had long naps along the way,” she added. “After lunch is nap time for everyone. No onboard potty accidents or stolen food! Everyone feels connected in the way we are obsessed with our dogs.”
The airline is a subsidiary of BARK, the company behind dog-focused brands like subscription service BarkBox. Co-founder and CEO Matt Meeker said he had the idea for more than a decade.
He was inspired by the late Great Dane Hugo, who often traveled with him but could never fit on a plane – like many lap dogs, Hugo would have had to fly in the cargo area rather Not in the cabin. (Meeker even flew from Florida to New York in a cargo box to show how disorienting that experience can be, as part of a Bark Air advertising campaign.)
Many airlines tightened flight restrictions emotional support animals on board in recent years. Logistics and travel costs can be an emotional issue for many families who don’t want to leave their dog behind when moving, let alone going on vacation, Meeker said.
“We don’t think of ourselves as selling dog toys or airplane seats,” Meeker told NPR in a phone interview. “We think we are selling great emotional experiences with your dog.”
It’s also an expensive flight: BARK Air flights between New York and LA cost $6,000 for a dog and a human (or a human and two dogs totaling under 50 pounds) in each direction and one-way flights between New York and London will cost $8,000.
Potential customers were quick to complain about the cost, with one social media user joking that her puppy would need to start selling “paw pics” for it to be effective.
Meeker admitted that “prices are high and exorbitant.” However, he said innovations, especially related to transportation, often become less expensive over time – and he hopes that will happen with BARK Air as well.
“We have pretty clear ways to bring that price down if there is demand and that’s what we’re aiming for,” he added. “We want to make this product affordable and accessible to as many dogs as possible.”
The airline aims to pamper its passengers, both children and humans
The airline has no restrictions on dog size or breed, but only allows people over 18 years old (or 126 years old in dog years).
Joe Gall/BARK
hide caption
caption conversion
Joe Gall/BARK
On BARK Air, drinks come in bowls, chains replace seatbelts, champagne is made from chicken broth, and bathrooms are anywhere.
“When they feel like they need to go, they go,” Meeker said of the dog. “And then we clean up after them. And then we clean the plane between each turn.”
That’s one of the many unique perks – and logistical challenges – of a dog-friendly airline. BARK partnered with a New York-based charter company called Talon Air, which provided the pilot, crew and aircraft, a Gulfstream V.
The jets have a capacity of 14 human passengers, but BARK limits it to 10 to allow for more space. Meeker says its aim is to make the experience as comfortable as possible for dogs, starting “even before the flight.”
BARK Air will conduct a “puppy intake” to learn about the dogs’ temperaments and preferences. On the day of the flight, people should arrive an hour early at the terminal, where they will present identification and go straight to the plane.
“And so what we ignored was a busy commercial airport and a very strict TSA environment, and treated the dog as just another piece of luggage,” Meeker said.
Dogs and humans are served meals – and toys put away – before the flight takes off to avoid possible territorial disputes. While in the air, dogs will be offered perks like spa treatments and pheromone-covered blankets for added comfort. Meeker said the crew on the flight were trained in canine CPR and “practiced fearless behavior.”
The airline has no size or breed restrictions, but humans must be over 18 years old (aka 126 years old in dog years). Once on board, people should keep their dogs on a leash as much as possible and ask for advice before approaching others.
Meeker, who accompanied his dog on two recent test flights between Florida and New York, said people expected the dogs to misbehave for the purposes of the test – but they didn’t. do anything but, even in times of “quite significant upheaval.”
“They calm people down, they move around and take someone’s place,” he said. “A strange dog, like, not your dog, will wander in, sit on the couch next to you, put his head in your lap and he’s like, ‘Oh, that’s great.’ ”
He added, “I don’t know why I’m surprised by this, but the dogs made it magical.”
Demand seems to be increasing
BARK Air is partnering with charter company Talon Air to offer multiple flights each month. Some are already sold out for June and July.
BARK
hide caption
caption conversion
BARK
Meeker said the initial reaction to the BARK Air launch “has been really positive and positive.”
BARK Air is offering about four round-trip cross-country flights a month, some of which are already sold out for June and July. The airline has plans to expand its routes, starting with travel from New York to Paris in the fall.
“About a third of people buy plane tickets six months in advance,” he said. “So we just announced our schedule through the end of the year to better serve that crowd.”
The airline is soliciting requests to add more destinations, and Meeker said they received more than 15,000 in the first week alone.
They’ve heard from military families on the go, business travelers and New Yorkers spending the summer outside the city – all of whom want their dogs there. Meeker also noted significant demand from snow lovers wanting to head south with their dogs for the winter and many requests for flights to and from Chicago.
“We’re just processing that information and picking dates, and we’re learning a lot,” he added.
He hopes upcoming data will allow the company to make more cost-effective decisions sooner.
“We are probably doing this in the most expensive way possible, which is by chartering a private jet from a private owner,” he explains.
The next step would be to make a longer-term commitment to the aircraft rental company, leasing the aircraft for a month or even a year to reduce costs. Even better is to buy and equip an airplane. Meeker is eyeing a Boeing 747 model with a rear half dedicated to cargo that could serve as an additional revenue stream.
He said the group had a design that featured private cabins with lie-flat beds, a central “dog park” and a corresponding bar for dogs and humans to socialize.
“It’s the dream,” he added. “But it will take a while to get there.”
