Forget Greyhound: a new 'cargo' airline launches

A new cargo airline has launched. But the freight is four-footed, and rates are high.

Bark Air, which charters aircraft, is offering a “white glove experience” for travelling pampered pooches, which includes a menu, and even a spa treatment. Its first flight took off yesterday from New York to Los Angeles, but the ‘carrier’ is also planning flights to London, all using smaller airports (Westchester County, Van Nuys, and Biggin Hill). US domestic flights cost $6,000 one-way, or $8,000 internationally – for one man and his dog. The animals are allowed to roam on the flight, so capacity is limited to 10 dogs per flight.

Perhaps the maddest thing about the story is that to prove his point, that dogs aren’t treated well on commercial airlines, the CEO got into a kennel and claims to have shipped himself in the belly of an aircraft from South Florida to New York, a 3.5 hour flight.