Luxury airline wants all dogs to fly in first class

With this airline, dogs are leaving their crates and flying first class.

BARK Air wants to please pets and their owners even before takeoff, and will do so on its inaugural trip, from New York to Los Angeles, this Thursday (23).

The company's CEO, Matt Meeker, said the idea came after the difficulty in transporting Hugo, his Great Dane.

“I couldn’t travel long distances with him, and I had this idea that there should be an airline that caters to dogs,” said Meeker, who also founded BarkBox, a subscription service for dog products owned by Bark Inc.

“We offer everything to the dog, trying to reduce their anxiety and stress, so that they have a comfortable and fearless experience on board the plane,” he said.

The experience begins with a lounge full of goodies and a quick check-in. BARK Air also offers an onboard spa for dogs, with “dog champagne” and “barkaccinos.”

The airline intends to sell ten tickets per flight, to transport ten animals, although the luxury aircraft can accommodate up to 15 people.

A ticket for one person and a dog costs $8,000 for an international flight, or $6,000 for a domestic flight.

Meeker expects prices to decline in the future.

“We are operating at a loss right now at the beginning. The idea is that, over time, we will have a clear path to reduce the price for the consumer and also reduce our costs. And that comes with scale and more routes.”

BARK Air currently flies between New York, Los Angeles and London. The company is considering adding flights to Paris, Milan, Chicago, Seattle and seasonal routes to Florida and Arizona, after receiving 15,000 requests to include new destinations.

(Reporting by Aleksandra Michalska)