A new airline is taking off in North Texas with a mission to put pets first. RetrievAir, a pet-focused carrier, will begin flights out of Arlington Municipal Airport this spring, offering an alternative to traditional commercial travel for dog owners.
RetrievAir is marketing itself as the first airline where pets ride in a seat right next to their owners, regardless of breed or size. The service uses a 30-seat regional jet operated by RVR Aviation. Each animal is assigned a window seat, while their owner sits beside them. Flight attendants are trained to handle both human and canine passengers, offering water, snacks, and comfort items for the pets, while serving drinks—including coffee and alcohol—to the humans.
In other words, pets won’t be stuffed in the cargo hold—here, they’re flying fur-st class. For once, passengers won’t complain if their seatmate hogs the armrest—it’s probably a Great Dane. And yes, they all count as carry-ons.
The first scheduled flights are set for May 21. Launch destinations include Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Denver, New York, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Salt Lake City, Tampa Bay, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California…