“When a dog has wings I'll be a king,” Tom Petty sang 30 years ago. Dogs may not have wings, but they can fly in planes tailored to their needs.
BARK Air, which began operating from New York's Westchester County Airport on May 23, is a dog-friendly airline that also operates flights from the Los Angeles and London metropolitan areas, according to Forbes.
The airline announced five new routes to other metropolitan areas both domestically and internationally, according to WMAQ-TV. The new destinations being eliminated include Chicago Midway, San Francisco/San Jose, Phoenix, Miami-Fort Lauderdale and Paris metropolitan airports, according to the TV station.
Flights on the new route will be available to book starting June 12, with service set to begin in October, WMAQ reported.
According to WBBM-TV, Bark Air's inaugural flight was sold out and departed from New York to Los Angeles on May 23. A one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Chicago costs $6,000 for one dog and one person, the TV station reported. A transcontinental flight from New York to Los Angeles costs $6,500 one way.
“There were a variety of dog breeds on board, including Chihuahuas, golden retrievers and dachshunds,” BARK Chief of Staff Katherine Enos told Fox Business. “Thankfully, there were no issues between the dogs, and several of them played in the aisles while the smaller dogs took long, leisurely naps. All of the dogs enjoyed BARK cereal treats for dogs, dog-friendly cupcakes, chicken-flavored Puppuccinos and dog champagne (chicken broth). The humans on board all got along well and felt connected by their shared obsession with dogs.”
KRON-TV reported that flights won't be filled to capacity to allow enough space for dogs and humans, and BARK Air says crates aren't required.
BARK Air, which began operating out of Westchester County Airport in New York, was sued by Westchester County on May 30 for allegedly violating county law, Fox Business reported. The airport claimed that BARK Air uses 14-seat Gulfstream Aerospace GV jets. Airport regulations state that only jets with nine or fewer passenger seats can take off from the airport.
The clamour for a lawsuit apparently bore no fruit. A settlement was reached on June 10th.
According to Forbes, Bark Air allows dogs of any size and breed to fly on board, and all animals must have up-to-date vaccination records and must remain on a leash when the plane takes off, lands, or encounters “severe” turbulence.
All passengers must be 18 or older, according to the website.
“The interest and enthusiasm for BARK Air so far has been overwhelming,” Matt Meeker, the company's co-founder and CEO, said in a statement, according to WMAQ. “We're excited to expand BARK Air's service to new cities and new routes, meeting customer demand and offering even more families our unique, stress-free, dog-centric travel experience.”
