Lower stairs, faux leather seats, croquettes and champagne glasses. Here are some of the services offered by the startup airline K9 based in Birmingham, UK, specializing in the transport of pets.

The idea of ​​its creation arose from the ever-growing discomfort of people who want to travel with their four-legged friends. Pet owners wishing to carry their pets on regular commercial flights must comply with a series of (often confusing) rules that vary by airline. Service animals that are not considered pets are allowed in the cabin without restriction, but other animals have size restrictions requiring larger pets to be carried as cargo. In addition, some airlines refuse to carry certain breeds. Animals that can fly in the cabin must be in transport cages, which must fit under the seat in front of the passenger, and may be subject to arbitrary judgments of cage size.

Many owners of large dogs fear what can happen to their pets as cargo, where they have to deal with temperature extremes, poor ventilation and mishandling.

K9 Jets hopes to capitalize on this sentiment by initially offering flights between New York and Paris, Lisbon and London. Of the 17 flights listed between May and the end of September, eight are sold out. In the fall, the company may expand services to additional cities, including Dubai. One-way tickets between New York and Europe cost about $9,000 per seat. Pet owners can purchase a seat for their pet, otherwise they can place it on the floor for free.

“Hundreds of people are waiting for a flight,” said Adam Golder, the company’s founder. “I think people don’t really want to put their four-legged friends in a cage and say goodbye to them for so many hours.”

K9 doesn’t actually have planes. Flights are operated by licensed US carriers, including Pegasus Elite Aviation. K9 Jets operates small Gulfstream G4 aircraft that can accommodate up to 10 passengers.

Private flying is, of course, not without environmental costs. Studies have shown that small jet aircraft are much more environmentally damaging than commercial aircraft, and studies have shown that wealthy people have a disproportionate impact on the climate. A 2020 article published in the journal Global Environmental Change estimates that 1% of the world’s population is responsible for half of aviation’s carbon emissions.

But some pet owners, like Ali and Mary Borzambdi, feel they have no choice. “We don’t have children. All we have is a dog,” they said. “You try everything there.”