BARK Air’s dog-first charter
Pre-flight concierge coordination of any required paperwork, in-flight bone broth service, calming aids like noise cancelling headphones. This is the stuff of dreams for most air passengers.
That is all part of the service at BARK Air, the self-proclaimed only dog-first charter brokerage. Starting at $6,725, the firm’s scheduled services include a nonstop flight for up to two dogs with a combined weight of 50lbs (22.6kg) or less and a human, plus the full BARK experience.
“We offer a few different ways to fly,” Michael Novotny, president of BARK Air, tells CJI. “Guests can opt for our scheduled service, currently offered to and from New York, Los Angeles, Lisbon, London, Madrid, San Francisco, Hawaii and Paris. We also offer private charters.”
The company partners with Part 135 operators that fly Gulfstream GIVs and Bombardier Global Express aircraft to fly customers. “That model gives us flexibility while maintaining very high operational and safety standards,” says Novotny.
Although an asset-light approach, enabling the company to flexible adjust its lift to meet demand, has worked so far, Novotny says BARK is exploring ownership options with partners as it looks ahead.
The business is an offshoot of BARK, which is best known for BarkBox, a monthly subscription business providing dog products, services, and experiences, that serves over two million dogs globally. The company went public in 2021, under the ticker: BARK.
Founder and CEO Matt Meeker created the BARK Air service in 2024, after his own Great Dane Hugo experienced trouble travelling.
“Like a lot of large dogs, he was routinely left behind because he couldn’t fly in-cabin,” says Novotny. “That experience highlighted a broader issue: if your dog doesn’t fit under a seat, your options are extremely limited and often stressful or unsafe. BARK Air was created to give dog parents a better alternative that puts dogs first instead of treating them like an afterthought.”
Dogs always fly in the cabin alongside their humans, never in cargo, and each flight is limited to a small group, typically around 10 dogs and their humans, to maintain a calm environment, according the company. Every flight also includes trained canine-care specialists focused specifically on dog comfort, behaviour and safety.
But what about if two dogs take a disliking to one another? Novotny says: “We plan carefully to minimise those situations, but we’re prepared if they arise.”
Whether that is creating more space, boarding dogs separately or using visual barriers to reduce stimulation, he says the crew carry “a full set of calming tools and positive distractions”.
Cabin layouts are also customised based on dog size and temperament, and dogs are secured during taxi, takeoff and landing using harness-based safety restraints.
“Our concierge team, made up of trained dog-behaviour experts, observes each dog’s size, behaviour, energy level and dynamics with other dogs before finalising seating on the aircraft,” says Novotny. “For example, a large Great Dane may be placed on a divan, while smaller or more sensitive dogs are seated where they’ll feel most secure.”
BARK Air operates under Part 380 public charter rules, which allows it to sell seats rather than full aircraft.
The company is also looking at hospitality partnerships. It has launched a retreat with Rosewood Hotels Kona Village resort in Hawaii. It is also working with The Windsor Court in New Orleans to debut its BARK Happy programme at the hotel this year.
“This program works hand-in-hand with hotel operations to create and execute ‘always on’ dog-first programming, from supporting reservations and pre-arrival communication to developing in-room amenities based on individual dog preferences and dog walking and sitting services,” says Novotny.
