Several comments under their intro video questioned if this was for real. And according to Dave Stangle, Bark’s VP of Brand Marketing, yes, it is. And he ensures that the company has thought of everything to make the dog flying experience exceptional.
Sure, some airlines welcome dogs onboard. But on Bark Air, dogs are royalty.
Bark, the creator of the monthly subscription service Bark Box, has teamed up with a private charter company to create a luxury travel experience for furry friends.
They revealed the news with several videos, including one showing the company’s CEO stuffed into a crate and flying cargo as many dogs must do to board planes. “There has to be a better way,” Matt Meeker says before revealing the company’s new airline.
Another video introducing Bark Air, shows dogs mid-flight playing and getting pampered. At the end of the video, the stewardess says, “If you think this is a joke, you’re not a dog person.”
Several comments under the video questioned if it was for real, and according to Dave Stangle, Bark’s VP of Brand Marketing, yes, it is. And he ensures that the company has thought of everything to make the dog flying experience exceptional.
“The experience of flying on Bark Air is not just from when you get on the airplane to when you get off,” Stangle tells Inside Edition Digital. “The moment you book a ticket, you have a personal concierge who is reaching out to you to learn everything possible about your dog.
“They build out the exact seating chart, the exact experience, the meet and greet," Stangle continues. "Does your dog want the window up? Does he want the window down? Does your dog sit in the back? Does he like to sit in the front?”
Before flights, standard rules won’t apply. Because it is a private charter, guests can bypass TSA and long lines. Bark Air provides a car service to and from the airport. And once guests and their humans are at the private terminal, food and drinks are available.
Stangle says that once on board the flights of 15 to 16 passengers, dogs live the good life. Luxury amenities include specialty toys, calming treats, calming blankets, earmuffs for dogs, trained flight attendants, someone with a background as a vet tech, a trainer and other dog experts.
Every flight also has “just in case” kits for unforeseen accidents.
Bark Air’s inaugural flight from New York to Los Angeles takes off next month. At $6,000 each way, It’s not cheap, but they’re working on lower prices.
“We totally realize that the price is not accessible for everyone and we just don't think that's a good enough reason to not innovate and not push the industry forward,” Stangle said. “Because if we thought this was going to be the price forever, we wouldn't have gone down this route.”
The company is also working on ways to make flying with them the perfect experience for dog lovers and their furry family members.
“As we've learned over the past 10, 12 years,” Stangle said. “There's no way to make a human happier than make their dog happy.”
