A new airline tailored specifically for dogs is scheduled to take off for the first time. Bark Air – which allows dogs to sit on seats and roam around the cabin – will operate its maiden voyage from New York to Los Angeles today.
Operated by pet company Bark, the domesticated flight (get it?) has sold out, with all ten available tickets taken by globe-trotting pooches and their human companions. According to Bark, the service has been designed to minimize the distress experienced by pets when flying and aims to provide the canine equivalent of first-class travel.
“Too often, dogs are denied travel, confined to a duffle bag, or endure the stress of flying in cargo,” the company said in a statement. To highlight the difficulties faced by jet-setting pets, the company’s CEO Matt Meeker traveled like a dog from Florida to New York, spending the entire four-hour flight in a crate in the plane’s hold.
Thursday’s flight will therefore represent “the world’s first air travel experience designed specifically for dogs first, and their human companions second, enabling them to travel together comfortably and conveniently.” The airline says its furry passengers will be spared the stress of queuing up at security, instead being fast-tracked through a screening process that takes only “minutes”.
Prior to boarding, a “highly skilled” concierge will attend each dog “to help them settle into their experience through socialization and dog-centric cabin preparation.” Calming pheromones, music, and colors will also be deployed to ensure all four-legged flyers are relaxed when they board the plane, while noise-canceling ear-muffs and soothing jackets will be available if needed.
Once onboard, dogs will be required to be on a leash during taxi, take-off, and landing, but will otherwise be at liberty to move around the cabin. The company also discourages human passengers from clapping when the plane lands as this can be distressing for dogs, so the captain will have to do without a round of a-paws.
The airline is currently operating flights from New York to Los Angeles, as well as New York to London, with more destinations expected to be added soon. Transatlantic travel can be long-haul, but hopefully all those tail winds will help to speed up the journey.
Source Link: Airline For Dogs Launches Its First-Ever Flight