Bark Air, a new airline for dogs, will make its first flight Thursday

Bark Air, a new airline that puts dogs ahead of their human companions, will make its first flight Thursday.

Bark, a pet company founded in 2011 that sells dog food and other products, announced the new aviation experience for dogs in April. It is the second airline service to market itself as catering to pets before human passengers, recognizing how stressful and uncomfortable commercial travel is. plane travel can be for animals. UK-based public charter operator K9 Jets also allows passengers’ pets to travel alongside them in the aircraft cabin, rather than in crates in the cargo holds of commercial aircraft .

“We’re excited to leverage the knowledge we’ve gained over the years to create a truly dog-focused experience, which is radically different from just being dog-friendly – ​​from the ground to the skies,” said Matt, co-founder and CEO of Bark. Meeker said in April. “We believe this initiative will raise awareness of our brand’s mission and values, introduce more dog lovers to the Bark family, and help enrich the lives of dogs and people around the world.”

The first flight from New York to Los Angeles on Thursday is sold out, according to Bark’s booking site. The company said it launched the air travel experiment to make long-distance travel more comfortable for dogs who don’t fit under the seats in front of passengers on commercial planes.

“Too often, dogs are denied travel, confined to a travel bag, or endure the stress of flying cargo,” the company said when announcing the flights in April.

Bark Air says it will offer “white paw service” to its canine customers – who will even be able to socialize with other dogs in what the company calls a “dog-centric” cabin setup. Like human first-class passengers, dogs on board will be offered treats, noise-canceling headphones, a drink of their choice and other surprises, the company said.

Initially, the service will serve the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan area, as well as New York to London. More routes will be added soon, the company said.

Bark Air will operate as a public charter service, flying on spacious Gulfstream G5 jets. It does not own or operate any aircraft. Each dog ticket comes with a human pass. Families can also purchase additional passes. Children under 18 are not allowed on board. There are no size or breed restrictions for dogs.

Cheap

The service is not cheap. A one-way flight from New York to Los Angeles in June costs $6,000 for a dog and a human. A New York-London ticket costs $8,000.

Meeker acknowledged the high cost of the service in a May letter, but said he expects prices to fall as demand increases.

“It’s cost-prohibitive for most families, but cheaper than most current options. And it’s also how most innovative products and services are born,” he said. “TVs, telephones, VCRs and DVD players, automobiles, train and boat travel and, yes, even human air travel – all of these started with very high prices until demand be proven and that costs can be reduced by serving the masses.