For dog owners who are uncomfortable with their pooches having to fit in a carrier under the seat in front of them on an airplane or in cargo, a new air travel service offering "white paw experience" has emerged at a costly price.
BARK Air kicks off with flights from New York on May 23. The "first-of-its-kind travel experience tailored to dogs" is brought to travelers by BARK, Inc. – the company started in 2011, known for BarkBoxes, treats and toys for furry friends – according to a press release.
"We are excited to take the insights we’ve learned over the years to create an experience that is truly dog-first, which is drastically different from just accepting dogs – from the ground to the skies," co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at BARK Matt Meeker said in a statement.
One-way tickets from New York to Los Angeles on the day of launch are $6,000 for a pup and its owner.
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What's included? A concierge, "efficient check-in process" 45 to 60 minutes before takeoff sans crates, TSA checkpoints or screening. It features socialization with other dogs onboard, meals for the human companion and calming items such as treats, noise-canceling ear muffs, and jackets to help dogs have a "stress-free and enjoyable flight."
Dogs onboard get beverages, BARK-branded treats, snacks, and more.
The service will begin with flights from Westchester County Airport located outside New York City, Los Angeles's Van Nuys Airport, and London's Stansted Airport. BARK says that "an Argus Platinum-rated charter company is responsible for all aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance-related matter," although they did not specify which charter company will be handling the flights.
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For those wondering about the expensive ticket prices, BARK Air has addressed that in the FAQs portion of its website, stating, "Our goal over time is to bring the ticket cost down significantly as we scale."
"We believe this initiative will raise awareness of BARK’s mission in a cost-effective manner," Zahir Ibrahim, Chief Financial Officer at BARK, said. "Given we are not committed to booking flights far in advance, we have a lot of flexibility to opportunistically charter flights during times of high demand."
