Dog-pampering has gone to new heights -- a private charter jet company has launched first-class service for pooches. The dogs sit in their own seat in the cabin next to their well-heeled owners, who pay full fare for both man and beast.
"Your pet is a member of the family," says the website of Victor, the UK company behind the venture. "You wouldn’t ship your sister or grandfather as freight, so why treat your pet any differently?"
In touting the benefits of what it calls "Furs Class," Victor concludes, "Love is priceless."
A recent Victor flight from London to Mallorca cost Dylan, an 8-year-old miniature Schnauzer, and his owner, Isabelle Frank, nearly $2,000 (1,250 pounds) apiece, the Daily Mail reported.
Frank told the Mail that placing Dylan caged in the cargo hold was too traumatic for both of them. "How can you have a proper family holiday if you don’t take the family dog with you?" she said.
Clive Jackson, the founder of Victor, told luxurylaunches.com, "A happy dog makes a happy owner."
Customers can group with pet lovers for a flight, or buy spots on a charter with other Victor members. "Most are happy to allow pets on their flights," the company said.
For the merely wealthy who cannot afford their own private jet to cuddle with their canine companions a la Paris Hilton and Tinkerbell or Leona Helmsley and Trouble, the skies just got a lot friendlier.