BARK Air is the world’s first air travel experience designed specifically for dogs first, and their human companions second, letting them travel together comfortably and conveniently. Premium flights for dogs (and their humans) are now available for booking, with the first flights having taken off from New York on Thursday, May 23.
BARK, a leading global dog brand with a mission to make all dogs happy, has now partnered with an Argus Platinum-rated charter company to offer a premium flight service that puts dogs first.
Travelling long distances with a dog is a challenge many dog parents face, particularly for those dogs that don’t fit into a carrier that can be placed under the seat in front. Too often, dogs are denied travel, confined to a duffle bag, or endure the stress of flying in cargo. Recognising these challenges, and the increasing demand for an accessible solution, BARK Air presents a more fun – and humane – option for dogs traveling with their two-legged human companions. BARK Air sets a new standard for dogs who love to travel but have been forced to settle for less-than-ideal travelling conditions.
BARK Air has taken the white glove experience typical of a human’s first-class experience and redirected all that pampering to pooches – from booking to arrival, to in-flight services and disembarkation, dogs will truly be the VIPs and treated to a positively luxurious, curated experience.
- Following booking, humans will be contacted by a BARK Air concierge to collect information about each dog and their human’s travel plans to ensure the best possible experience.
- On travel day, dogs and their companions will arrive at the airport 45 to 60 minutes before takeoff for a simple, efficient check-in process where dogs can meet other furry friends on their flight while their people are treated to meals prepared by onsite chefs – no crates, stressful TSA checkpoints, or screening.
- Before boarding, a highly skilled BARK Air concierge will welcome dogs at the gate to help them settle into their experience through socialisation and dog-centric cabin preparation. The BARK Air concierge will also evaluate each dog to ensure they are enjoying their experience and adapting to the new environment and if additional attention and care is needed prior to boarding or once on board.
- Also prior to boarding, the plane will be treated to a “Dogs Fly First” flight prep with calming pheromones, music, and colours that pups prefer. All furry passengers will have access to various aids such as calming treats, noise-cancelling ear muffs, and calming jackets to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable flight.
- Once onboard, dogs will be served their beverage of choice (water, bone broth – you name it!) during ascent and descent to ensure they do not experience any ear discomfort commonly caused by changes in cabin pressure. Additionally, a variety of BARK-branded treats, snacks, and surprises will be provided throughout the flight with the intent of pampering furry passengers and their humans.
Routes
At launch, routes will serve the New York City metro area via Westchester County Airport (HPN) with flights to the Los Angeles area via Van Nuys (VNY) and London, England via Stansted Airport (STN). Through the partnership, an Argus Platinum-rated charter company is responsible for all aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance-related matters, while BARK is focused on creating and delivering a world-class air travel experience for dogs and their people.
“We believe this initiative will raise awareness of BARK’s mission in a cost-effective manner,” said Zahir Ibrahim, Chief Financial Officer at BARK. “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. In parallel, we believe the additional traffic to BARK.co will raise awareness of our full offering, benefiting our core business in the long term.”
Pricing
Pricing is steep, but the experience, comfort and ease are unmatched. From NYC to London, tickets start at $8,000. The price of one ticket covers 1 human and 1 dog, so if you want to fly with an extra person, you’ll have to buy a separate ticket.
BARK Air recognises that their prices are high, and they hope to lower them as their business grows.
Sniff around at air.bark.co for more information!