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Bark, the company behind BarkBox, says it's launching a pet-friendly air carrier where humans and dogs can both have a "first-class experience" for at least $6,000 a one-way ticket.

Bark Air

  • Bark, the company behind BarkBox, is launching a pet-friendly air carrier, Bark Air.
  • Fares start at $6,000 per person for a one-way flight between New York and Los Angeles.
  • Pets would get amenities like noise-canceling earmuffs and blankets scented with "calming pheromones."

Have a "ruff" time flying with your pup? The company behind the wildly popular pet subscription service BarkBox might have the solution to your problems — so long as you're willing to pay $6,000 for a one-way flight.

Bark is looking to break out of the "box" and shoot for the stars — or at least the clouds — with its latest passenger aviation venture, Bark Air.

You read that right: Bark is launching a dog-friendly air carrier.

No more leaving your furry friends in under-seat crates or alone in the plane's cargo hold. Starting April 11, travelers can book Bark Air's ultra-luxe, 10-guest private planes, on which pets are welcome to sip on "dog Champagne" (chicken broth), relax in "calming pheromone" --scented blankets, and romp around with fellow four-legged passengers.

Bark’s new air carrier will offer two roundtrip routes starting May 23: weekly flights between New York and Los Angeles and twice-monthly flights between New York and London.
dog and human walking into plane
Meeker said Bark Air will fly from New York to Los Angeles on Thursday and back on Friday.

Bark Air

Matt Meeker, the cofounder and CEO of Bark, told Business Insider that the routes were selected for their general popularity and lack of convenient pet-friendly alternatives.

But Bark Air won't fly out of the cities' major hubs. Instead, the company plans to operate from secondary airports on each side of the Atlantic, serving London via London Stansted Airport, New York City via Westchester County Airport, and Los Angeles via Van Nuys Airport.

But its fares could make you tuck your tail between your legs.
dog looking out plane window
Meeker said the flight times would be "a bit" shorter than traditional flights because the Gulfstream G500s can fly at higher altitudes and won't be stuck in the traffic jams of larger airports.

Bark Air

A one-way ticket between New York and Los Angeles costs $6,000 for a human and their pet. New York to London will ring up $8,000.

At these price points, Meeker envisions most of Bark Air's customers to be wealthier folks who fly business class but can't afford a private flight. He expects many large dog owners who can't easily opt for commercial flights or people looking to move between the three cities.

To launch its new aviation venture, the company says it’ll contract private jet charter company Talon Air’s two Gulfstream G500 'or similar' jets.
people with pets walking to plane
The Gulfstream G500 has a range of about 6,100 miles and space for up to 19 passengers

Bark Air

The Gulfstream aircraft family is among the industry's best-selling private planes.

However, Bark Air still still waiting for an indirect air carrier certification from the US Department of Transportation.

When it's ready to take off, the air carrier promises a traveling pet parent's dream: 'no crates, stressful TSA checkpoints, or screening.'
person and pet on a flight
Travelers without a furry accompaniment, such as a second pet parent, still must pay $6,000.

Bark Air

The company would arrange the plane's 10-person seating chart according to the dogs' personalities, as provided by their owners when booking the flight.

Given the number of co-parents (think DINKWADs), Meeker expects 10 people and seven dogs per flight.

Forget humans — Meeker said the company wants to provide a ‘first-class experience’ for pets.
composite of a seat and a staircase of a plane with a dog
Passengers are advised to arrive at least 45 minutes before the flight.

Bark Air

Before take-off, furry guests would be able to mingle and mix with other passengers in a private area of Bark Air's terminals.

Extra anxious pups would be given noise-canceling ear muffs and "calming" treats and jackets. To help further relax the four-legged fliers, the onboard pillows and blankets would be scented with "calming pheromones," Meeker said.

According to the new air carrier, even the plane’s ‘mood music’ and colors would be designed for dogs’ preferences.
dog sitting on a couch
Talon Air's crew would clean the plane after every flight.

Bark Air

Like any luxury human vacation, the pups can indulge in some "dog Champagne" (chicken broth).

Happy four-legged fliers would also be allowed to roam around the aircraft, pay with each other, or snooze on the couch — sights you'd never see on a typical commercial flight.

"The dog is having the least traumatic and most catered-to experience possible," Bark's CEO said. "The comparison to being in a cargo hole is even greater."

Don’t worry; humans receive upscale services as well.
dog on flight looking out window
While capable of doing so, the seats can't lie flat due to the plane's layout.

Bark Air

In lieu of in-flight meal service, Meeker said a chef will be stationed at the terminals to cook pre-flight "custom meals" for humans. Passengers would also have the option to order complimentary mid-flight drinks and snacks while they luxuriate in the aircraft's wide leather seats.

Once they've landed, the humans and their furry companions can take a complimentary car service to their destination within a 30-mile radius.

Despite all these amenities, $12,000 for a roundtrip New York to Los Angeles flight is objectively steep — and Meeker knows it.
a button that says belly rubs on a plane
Meeker said Bark Air could operate "one-off" or "seasonal" flights

Bark Air

Bark Air's first flight is scheduled to depart on May 23. The cheapest one-way business class fare from New York to Los Angeles on the same day is currently $623 with Alaska. Bringing a pet would add another $100 to $150.

"Hopefully, this is the highest price we ever charge, but that's where we need to start," Bark's CEO told BI.

Looking ahead, besides the goal of dropping fares, Meeker said the new air carrier could expand its fleet or add more routes, tossing around options like Miami to New York or Chicago.

But when it comes to transporting a dog across the country or the Atlantic Ocean, the alternative options ‘are pretty poor,’ the CEO of Bark said.
window of a plane
Meeker said Bark Air has done two test flights between New York and Florida.

Bark Air

Depending on the airline and the pets' sizes, dogs on commercial US flights must be kept in under-seat crates or checked in the plane's cargo hold.

Between New York and London, the options are even slimmer: UK law requires commercial airlines to check animals into the cargo hold when flying into the country.

But doing so can be "terrifying and frightening," Meeker told BI. "For people who consider their dogs part of the family, the cargo hold is something they would never do, or they would do it as the absolute last resort out of desperation."

But Meeker said BarkAir would be operating as a private charter, which means it would skirt around the UK's restrictions.
two people and a dog next to a plane
Meeker, left, told BI he started chalking out Bark Air 1 ½ years ago with help from James O'Leary, chief supply chain officer of Bark who previously worked with Amazon Air.

Bark Air

Travelers can also join crowd-sourced private charter flights for pets, although these often come at a steeper cost than Bark Air's fares.

Bark Air's business model is similar to that of semi-private air carrier JSX, which uses a less crowded airport terminal and a 30-seater regional airliner to create a private-like experience. Fares are more expensive, but screening is minimal, and passengers must only arrive 20 minutes before departure.

"It's like if you were flying private," Meeker said. "You're just sharing that charter jet with up to 10 people."

Read the original article on Business Insider
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BarkBox is launching an ultra-luxury private jet air carrier for people and the…