First Class Flight Experiences For Dogs Are Now Boarding

BARK Air’s Flights For Dogs Are Now Boarding for Pawesome Adventures

Photo of an Akita Inu dog in a pilot suit at the airport; Only humans will be piloting Bark Air flights for dogs

If you are loved by a dog and travel often, you've likely faced the conundrum of what the most dog-friendly option is. Most airlines don't allow dogs, and those that do restrict to small breeds or force dogs into the cargo hold. It's a miserable experience for dogs and owners alike. There have even been tragic consequences to treating our beloved family members as luggage. This forces canine-loving humans to either leave their fluffy friends behind or be limited to road trips. Luckily, fellow dog-fanatics over at BARK have created a solution: an airline that caters to dogs first, humans second.

Starting this month, BARK Air will fly between New York and Los Angeles, or New York and London, with chartered Gulfstream G5s operated by Talon Air. Every detail has been considered in order to make the flights smooth for pups. While there is room for 15 dogs and their humans, they will not book more than 10. So there's plenty of room to do a big stretch. There will be relaxing pheromones and music wafting in the air, as well as warm lavender-scented towels, to keep Fido happy. Along with Bark branded treats and toys, concierge will have “just-in-case bags” that have every item of dog supplies one could think of from calming treats to extra leashes. During take-off and landing, dogs will be served their “beverage of choice” which includes water and bone broth. This helps alleviate ear discomfort from cabin pressure changes.

On the airline's website, their CFO (Canine Flying Officer) Amelia the Pomeranian has provided helpful answers to every ticket buyer's questions. Passengers will bypass security and board from a private waiting area where pups can get some quick zoomies in and get to sniff their fellow passengers. Unfortunately, no (human) children will be allowed on a flight; only people 18 years and older can board. Amelia also explains why the tickets start at $6,000: “First, money is a construct developed by humans as a means of alienating the worker from the fruits of their labor. Second, yeah, these tickets are pricey! Our goal over time is to bring the ticket cost down significantly as we scale. That way your human will have more money to buy you Christmas sweaters.” Along with future plans to bring the cost down, BARK Air is also hoping to expand to more destinations.