Did you know there’s an airline made just for our four-legged canines?
After watching a viral reel from BarkAir, YouTuber Hangtime decided to give the dog-friendly airline a go with his pup, Cedric.
It couldn’t get more dog-friendly.
BarkAir is designed to make flying comfortable for dogs, unlike commercial airlines where dogs are often cramped in crates, cargo holds or under seats.
To stress the awfulness of being confined during even a short-haul flight, BarkAir CEO Matt Meeker put himself in a crate for a 3.5-hour flight – an experience he called an ‘absolute horror show.’ Hence the launch of BarkAir which they proudly call ‘A 100% totally real airline for dogs.’
Flying with BarkAir isn’t cheap, though. Hangtime, real name Michael Turk, spent a whopping $6,000 to fly from New York to California.
Since Turk lives in Texas, he had to take a commercial flight to New York first, where Cedric was stuck in the foot area, which clearly wasn’t enjoyable for him at all.
At BarkAir, things were a lot different. Turk and Cedric received VIP treatment with a chauffeur ride to the airport, skipping the usual airport security lines. Instead of long queues, one security person came around to check everyone’s bags, which isn’t a huge job as the flight only seats up to six passengers with their dogs of course.
All the while, both the human and furry passengers enjoyed a chilled time in the hangout lounge. Doggy treats including something called ‘Chumpagne’ were offered, which is actually just chicken broth for dogs. Passengers also received doggy passports and boarding passes which may not hold value but still make pretty cute souvenirs.
After reaching the cruising altitude, Hangtime gave a brief tour of the plane. He showed compartments to put your phone and wallet, USB charging ports, a fold-out table for food and an openly visible cockpit. Moreover, pets were pampered with individual spa treatments, from nose balm to paw moisturiser. The plane bathroom is also much more luxurious than those on regular airlines. It came equipped with a comfy seat over the toilet, relaxing music, as well as a selection of travel toiletries like mouthwash and hand sanitiser.
If you’re wondering where the dogs go to do their thing, it’s right there on the plane in the form of ‘pee-pee pads.’
Whilst not all dogs are okay soaring 40,000 ft off the ground, there’s nothing like plenty of treats and spa treatments to keep them calm during their flight.
