Chicago is reinforcing its reputation as one of the most dog-friendly cities on the planet by going the extra mile this year.
A new airline operating out of Chicago’s Midway Airport will cater entirely to canines when it launches in October. Described as a “first-of-its-kind travel experience tailored to dogs”, BARK Air offers a luxury first-class service for furry four-legged friends complete with an array of amenities.
The “white paw experience” sees all pups located in a dog-centric cabin with no crates but instead calming aids such as “pheromone, music, warm lavender-scented refreshment towels, and other comforts to help each dog feel settled.”
Dogs are served water, broth, or other beverages throughout the journey as well as “BARK-branded treats, snacks, and surprises” while a concierge will be on hand with leashes, poop bags, and anything else needed during the flight.
Though committed to canine comfort first, human companions can join their four-legged friends on their flight with ample space to be sat next to one another. Each ticket for a dog comes with a human ticket for people over the age of 18 only and extra seats can be purchased for an additional price.
“We are launching BARK Air because, despite incredible demand from dog people, there is simply no good or convenient solution to traveling long distances with your dog“, reads the BARK Air website.
“We partnered with a jet charter company to meticulously build out an in-flight experience from the ground up that is focused solely on the comfort and happiness of the dog first, and human second.”
For now, the airline operates out of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Miami in the United States as well as London and Paris but according to BARK Air, this is only the beginning.
The company is intent on “revolutionizing flying for dogs”. The website even states “No dog should fly in a crate. To illustrate this, we made our CEO fly in one for our inaugural flight instead.”
“We plan to add more routes, more infrastructure, more equipment, more staff, and more over-the-top dog-first amenities unlike anything in the market. Over time, this will allow us to bring ticket prices down, open up routes to new markets, expand the offering to more dog people, and perhaps most importantly – get the airline industry to recognize as clearly as we do the one simple truth that life is better when you’re with your dog.”
Flights are now available for October 2024 onwards. More information can be found at air.bark.co.