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Just days after its inaugural flight, the brand-new luxury airline designed for dogs was sued.

BARK Air’s “white paw experience” flight flew from New York’s Westchester County Airport to Los Angeles’ Van Nuys airport on May 24, with the hefty price for one passenger and a dog amounting to $6,000.

That’s R113,000 everyone.

Describing itself as “the world’s first air travel experience designed specifically for dogs first, and their human companions second”, BARK Air uses Gulfstream G5s that they never book to their full capacity to ensure a passenger and their VIP dog have enough room to spread out comfortably.

The check-in process includes a highly skilled BARK Air concierge who welcomes all pups and helps them settle into their experience “through socialisation at the gate and dog-centric cabin preparation”. Once on board, the cabin is prepped with calming aids such as pheromones, music, warm lavender-scented refreshment towels, and other comforts to help each dog feel settled.

The concierge also carries a ‘just in case’ bag filled with calming treats, leashes, poop bags, and more, while each pretty pooch also gets served their beverage of choice (water, bone broth, you name it), along with a variety of BARK-branded treats, snacks, and surprises throughout the flight experience.

 

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BARK’s Chief of Staff Katharine Enos told FOX Business that the airline’s first official voyage was a “great success”.

“There were a mix of breeds onboard including chihuahuas, a golden retriever and dachshunds,” the official explained. “Happy to report there was no dog drama, some dogs played in the aisle while the smaller dogs took nice long naps.”

“All dogs snacked on BARK cereal treats for dogs, dog-friendly cupcakes, chicken flavored puppuccinos and doggie champagne (chicken broth). The humans onboard all got along as well and felt connected in their shared obsession with their dogs,” she added.

The dogs might not have caused any drama, but that doesn’t mean there is none.

While the airline’s first flight took off on May 24, BARK Air was handed a lawsuit by Westchester County on May 30, for allegedly violating county law.

Legal documents reveal that Westchester County Airport regulations stipulate that the private jet section is restricted to jets with a maximum of nine passenger seats. BARK Air, however, operates a Gulfstream Aerospace GV jet, which has 14 passenger seats.

Westchester County is seeking an injunction against BARK Air, which would force the airline to leave the airport altogether or move from the private jet area and move to the busier passenger terminal.

 

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I guess they’ll have to put a paw on it for now.

The company usually flies between Los Angeles, New York and London, England, but is considering adding more cities to its roster, reportedly eyeing Paris, Milan, Chicago, Seattle, Florida and Arizona.

[source:foxbusiness]