There Is A London-Dubai Luxury Private Jet Service For Pets, First Fly Tomorrow

Pets on private planes. (Instagram/skynineae)

JAKARTA - A luxury travel service in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was launched to allow jet-setters to carry their pets on board.

Sky Nine in Dubai specializes in leasing private jets for pet owners. Its inaugural flight, which will use the Gulfstream GV, will fly between Farnborough, London, and Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, on October 14.

So far, registered pets include two dachshund dogs, two French bulldogs, two golden retrievers and one desert miz, as well as two Ragdoll cats.

The flight has a capacity of 16 seats that can accommodate up to 10 human passengers and their pets for safety and comfort reasons.

Sophie Armstrong, founder of Sky Nine, moved to Dubai with her family in 2002. After having dogs for most of her life, she said she understood the frustration that could happen when she wanted to take them on vacation.

"We always feel stressed when removing the crates and worry about how the animals will cope on the flight," Armstrong told The National News, as quoted October 10.

"Kami kemudian menemukan opsi yang sangat mahal untuk menghubungi jet pribadi dengan kaki-kiki yang kosong dan beramur-ramai mengisikannya," lanjutnya.

"So we found a community consisting of parents who have similar-minded pets and realized that there was actually a huge demand from people who wanted to use jet planes to travel with their pets. This was the beginning of the birth of Sky Nine, as a hub in Dubai, to help people travel with their pets," he explained.

To enjoy this service, tickets are priced starting from 36,546 UAE dirhams (Rp154,911,558), including one seat for the owner and one seat for one pet weighing 23kg or two pets weighing less than 23kg.

Interestingly, all pets can travel in the cabin, regardless of size. The price also includes a 20kg baggage option and a handbag. There will also be snacks and drinks during the flight.

Ahead of the flight, Sky Nine will request human passports and pet documents, but the company can also help with the documents required to log in and out for animals at added costs, as most countries have special requirements. They have teamed up with pet relocation companies to provide this service.

Although the price is relatively expensive, Armstrong said there was already a waiting list for flights back in November.

Apart from being accompanied by the owner, pets will also benefit from a number of "special shocks" to create a less stressful travel experience, Armstrong said.

"We have areas for pets to defecate on the plane," he explained.

"Dogs can feel at home on their own on the back of their owners, or in their own beds and blankets. These flights are for them and they are our favorite customers," continued Armstrong.

"Cats must stay in the cage but can be by your side at any time. Before the flight, there is a grassy area for pets to defecate and meet their friends," he added.

Armstrong says this is a safer way to travel for brachycephalic pets (or pessy noses) that are more difficult to breathe in crates and closed spaces, especially during hot months.

"There are no customs or security queues. You go and arrive at a private terminal so you don't have to worry about the crowd," he explained.

"This is a stress-free way to travel and your pets are always by your side at all times. You save on boarding costs and take them to enjoy the holidays, but can also share the cabin, not just the destination," he said.

The company has released a schedule for next year, with summer flights to Paris and Lisbon in June and August, on customer request.