New private jet service for dogs on Dubai-London route

Ticket prices start at $9,925, which includes a seat for one passenger and a four-legged companion

K9 Jets is launching its private jet service for pets from Dubai to Farnborough in the UK. Photo: K9 Jets

Private jet firm K9 Jets has launched a new service for pets and their owners travelling from Dubai to Farnborough, located about 61km from London.

The inaugural flight is set to take off on September 26 from Al Maktoum International Airport with ticket prices starting at $9,925. This includes a seat for one passenger and up to two pets that weigh 45kg in total or one pet that weighs up to 23kg.

If a passenger has two pets that weigh more than 23kg each, they will have to purchase two seats to ensure the comfort and safety of their four-legged friends on board, K9 Jets said.

"To date, we have flown over 220 happy jet-setting pets and their owners on international flights from destinations including Paris, London, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Lisbon. Our newly introduced Dubai route is our maiden flight in the Middle East and we’re looking forward to expanding our network to include routes farther East to Asia, Australia and beyond in 2024," said Adam Golder, a former pilot who co-founded K9 Jets with his wife, Kirsty.

“With one of the largest expatriate populations in the world, Dubai residents have expressed a need for pet-friendly relocation flights, and K9 Jets is more than happy to deliver. We’re excited to be welcoming our two and four-legged guests on board in a few weeks and to increase routes as demand dictates.”

According to the International Pet and Transport Association, more than 4 million pets and live animals are transported by air every year. Many commercial airline pet policies restrict travel of pets in the cabin, meaning larger pets have to travel as cargo.

K9 Jets promises a stress-free experience for pets and their owners. Check-in at Al Maktoum International Airport's private terminal includes a welcome team and a grassy area for pets to relax before they board their flight.

The Golders, who are based in Birmingham, founded K9 Jets last year after noticing a spike in demand for pet travel at their sister company G6 Aviation, a private jet brokerage firm catering to high-net-worth individuals.

"In early 2022 our sister company received an unusual quote request for a flight from London to New Jersey for 10 passengers and 10 dogs. We were quickly introduced to a grassroots Facebook group. Its mission was to link up people interested in sharing charter planes, so their pets didn’t have to fly as cargo/excess baggage," they write on their website.

"K9 Jets was created in July 2022 to make it even easier for you and your pets to travel."

More information is available at www.k9jets.com