A new dog-friendly airline is due to take canines to the skies from London – and dogs come first on their planes.
Bark Air flights, which specialise in first-class flying for your pooch, are due to depart for the US this June.
Currently, two flight routes will operate between London and New York as well as connecting New York and Los Angeles on one-way or round trips.
However, the dog-first journeys come at a hefty cost.
Each ticket for a flight Biggin Hill Airport, southeast London, to the Big Apple comes with a $8,000 (£6,400) price tag that includes one dog and one human companion, luggage and airport transfers.
In a promotional video, the airline called the dog-centric customer service the “future of travel”.
A dedicated Bark Air concierge will learn information about your pooch before the flight to help plan the luxury experience, including fast-tracked security screening and check-in.
Onboard, four-legged friends can expect free roam of the cabin, belly rubs and endless Bark treats from dental chews to peanut butter biscuits.
A maximum of ten dogs and their (over 18) owners can board the Gulfstream G5 planes per Bark flight.
To fly on Bark Air dogs must have up-to-date vaccination records and provide information about their size, allergies, and socialisation preferences.
The airline plans to add more routes to reduce ticket prices and introduce extra over-the-top dog amenities to support the “VIPs” – or Very Important Pups.
On most commercial airlines dogs fly in a crate that is then placed under a seat or in the cargo hold.
Matt Meeker, CEO of Bark Air, flew in a holding crate from Florida to New York to illustrate that “no dog should travel this way”.
Bark Air said: “We are launching Bark Air because, despite incredible demand from dog people, there is simply no good or convenient solution to travelling long distances with your dog.
“We recognise and believe that life is better – for you and for your dog – when you are together. We have spent years talking to airlines about how to make flying with your dog more accessible, and because of their resistance, we decided to build the solution ourselves.”