By comparison, same-day nonstop flights on major airlines start at $220 one-way from New York to Los Angeles and $525 to London. Adding a dog will cost more.
Bark CEO and co-founder Matt Meeker said the inspiration for Bark Air came from his Great Danes. Hugo said that in his 12 years of life he visited nearly 24 states and Canada, but never flew around the West Coast or Europe, especially since flying pets of his size pose challenges.
If your pet is too large to bring on board, your options are limited. Depending on the season, destination, and airline, owners may be able to transport their dogs as checked baggage or cargo, but this comes with risks. According to Department of Transportation data, U.S. airlines reported nine animal-related accidents in 2022, including seven deaths (the Department of Transportation does not publish annual statistics on these accidents for 2023). .
To understand the experience of traveling as luggage, Meeker stuffed his body into a wooden box, rolled it across the tarmac and loaded it onto a plane, where he stayed in an enclosure for 45 minutes to an hour. His experiments confirmed his suspicions that flying in the belly of an airplane could be traumatic.
“It was very small, very dark. Loud noises. Disoriented. No food, no water. No place to go to the bathroom,” Meeker said. “It was very, very bad.”
Travelers with money can book private or charter planes. However, non-commercial aviation can be prohibitively expensive or unpredictable. Her K9 Jets, a private charter company that began offering pet-friendly flights last year, flies to 13 destinations, including Dallas, Paris and West Palm Beach, Florida. Pricing is similar to Berkair's, $6,650 from New Jersey to Los Angeles, but it will cancel the flight if at least 75% of seats are not filled.
“There's a lot of interest and demand and it's really frustrating,” Meeker said. “People are looking for reasonable solutions for transporting their dogs during house moves, summer vacations, and weekend trips.”
Meeker said the airline will partner with New York-based charter company Talon Air to operate two Gulfstream G550 aircraft under the Bark Air flag. The plane has a passenger capacity of 14 people, but the airline said it would limit the number of passengers to 10.
Once a traveler has booked a flight, a concierge will contact the family to ask about the dog's temperament and help with the documentation needed to enter the UK. Fares include complimentary car rental within a 30-mile radius of your destination.
Meeker recommends passengers arrive 45 minutes to an hour before departure. Passengers will wait in a private area within the terminal where a chef will prepare a hot meal for the human traveller, avoiding tray table surfing on board. Before the ride, the dogs have a chance to sniff each other.
Pets can fly off-leash on board, as long as they are well behaved. During the test drive, Meeker said the dog was very polite and there were no unruly verbal abuses.
“They greeted other dogs, they greeted other people as well. Everyone was very calm about it,” he said. “If your dog is a little nervous or you're worried about your dog, we have a place on the plane where you can sit without being disturbed.”
Puppies are the best dogs on board, so carriers cater to their preferences. The menu includes “Doggy Champagne” (actually chicken soup), donuts made just for dogs, and meaty snacks served on silver trays. The flight crew includes professionals trained in veterinary medicine and canine behavior. At the end of the journey, the four-legged aviator receives wings that can be proudly pinned to a collar or harness.
If Bark Air does well, Meeker wants to add larger aircraft to its fleet, which could help lower fares. He also dreams of building the world's first in-flight dog park.
He said: “Dogs on long-distance trips will have a park where they can play with other dogs while their humans enjoy a drink at the bar at the end of the park.”
Henry Harteveld, a travel industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group, said pet airlines are more likely to fail than succeed. (Rest in peace, Pet Air.) However, Bark Air does have some advantages. You're not building an airline from scratch. There is brand recognition. And they monitor mailing lists containing the names of millions of pet lovers willing to spend a small fortune on their dogs.
“Some people absolutely will,” Harteveldt said. “The question is: Are there enough people who love their pets enough to pay more than $6,000 to have their pets shipped from coast to coast or from New York to London?”
