This airline wants all dogs to fly first-class

STORY: On this airplane, dogs like Billie the Corgi are ditching the kennels for first class.

“A first-class experience for the dog, a business-class experience for people.”

That's the mission for BARK Air, a new airline - set to take its maiden flight from New York to Los Angeles.

It caters to dogs of all sizes and their people.

CEO Matt Meeker said the idea was 10 years in the making after struggling to find a way to transport his Great Dane.

:: Matt Meeker, BARK CEO

“I was unable to travel with him long distances and had the idea that there should be an airline that caters to dogs of his size, and of this size, to travel with their people in comfort, not in a duffel bag, not in a cargo hold, but treat it as a member of the family. // We cater everything to the dog, trying to lower their anxiety and their stress, so they have the most comfortable, fear-free experience on an airplane.”

The dog-first experience starts with a waiting lounge filled with treats and a speedy check-in.

BARK Air also offers an onboard spa for the pups and a luxurious menu featuring “doggie champagne” and “barkaccinos.”

The company aims to sell 10 tickets per flight to make room for 10 dogs, though the luxury aircraft can accommodate up to 15 people.

Tickets for one person and one dog cost $8,000 for a one-way international flight or $6,000 for domestic trips.

Meeker says those numbers could come down in the future.

“We're operating at a loss today as we start. The idea is over time, we have a pretty clear pathway to lower the price for the consumer and lower our costs. And that comes with scale and more routes. And so we wanted to start at a place where we... we could measure if there was demand, and it seems there is.”

Currently, BARK Air routes include flights between New York City, Los Angeles, and London.

The company is now considering adding flights to Paris, Milan, Chicago, Seattle, and seasonal destinations in Florida and Arizona after receiving 15,000 requests for new destinations.

“I hope that we can create an experience that reaches every family that wants to travel with their entire family like they do with their children.”