JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV), the venture capital subsidiary of
JetBlue Airways, today announced that Vantage Airport Group (Vantage), a
global airport investment, development and management company, will join
its international ecosystem of travel providers fueling industry
innovation.
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The International Partnership Program was established by JTV in July
2018 to build a network of like-minded global partners embracing
startups and applying emerging technologies within their companies. The
initiative is part of JTV’s mission to improve the future of travel.
Vantage joins Air New Zealand as the program’s second partner. The
company will collaborate with JTV and Air New Zealand to find
opportunities to improve efficiencies in shared infrastructure and
processes, and enhance the end-to-end travel journey for customers
around the world. The goal is to identify startups and implement
innovation that upgrades customer engagement and experiences through and
within airports.
For Vantage, this partnership program will connect the company with the
Silicon Valley startup scene and deal flow to strengthen its own
innovation culture and sourcing. Vantage has relocated a Director of
Innovation Partnerships to JTV’s offices in Silicon Valley, to scout,
scope, test and implement emerging technologies at Vantage’s network of
airports.
“In our 25-year history, Vantage has always embraced different ways of
making airports better, so this partnership is an important evolution in
our growth as a company committed to innovation,” says Wes Porter, vice
president of innovation at Vantage Airport Group. “The opportunity to
work with like-minded partners to improve the travel journey through new
and emerging technologies is exciting for Vantage as we seek to enhance
the experience of the more than 57 million guests that travel through
our airport network every year.”
For JTV, the addition of Vantage as a program partner expands
opportunities for existing and potential portfolio companies, as well as
other startup partners. JTV plans to announce other travel and
hospitality providers joining the program over the coming months.
“We’re very excited to welcome Vantage to our International Partnership
Program and look forward to ideating together to create the airport and
travel experiences of the future. It’s powerful to bring together
different stakeholders of the industry to information share and
collaborate at an earlier stage in the innovation process,” comments Amy
Burr, managing director of operations and partnerships at JTV.
Today’s announcement expands upon the existing relationship between
JetBlue Airways and Vantage Airport Group. In March 2018, JetBlue
selected Vantage and RXR Realty as its development partners for the
airline’s proposed multibillion-dollar terminal expansion at John F.
Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
“Vantage is an industry-leading airport developer committed to
innovation and the customer experience,” said Lisa Reifer, vice
president of infrastructure, properties, and development at JetBlue
Airways. “JTV’s partnership with Vantage will allow us to collaborate
even more closely to ensure our new JFK terminal embraces emerging
technologies to deliver a world-class and more seamless experience for
our Customers.”
About Vantage Airport Group
Passionate about people, performance and place, Vantage Airport Group is
a leading investor, developer and manager of airports around the world.
Since 1994, Vantage has been making airports more efficient, profitable,
sustainable and connected to the communities they serve. Vantage has
lent its expertise to more than 30 airports in its 25-year history,
taking 20 from public to private management. Its current network is
composed of ten airports, including LaGuardia Terminal B in New York and
Midway International Airport in Chicago. Vantage is also JetBlue
Airways’ preferred development partner for the international terminal
redevelopment project at New York’s John F. Kennedy International.
Together, Vantage airports served 57.7 million passengers in 2018,
travelling on 150 different airlines. For more information on Vantage,
visit www.vantageairportgroup.com.
About JetBlue Technology Ventures
JetBlue Technology Ventures invests in and partners with early stage
startups innovating in the travel, transportation, and hospitality
industries. The company prioritizes investments that advance the
seamless customer-centric journey; technology powered customer service;
the future of operations and maintenance; distribution, loyalty, and
revenue management; and evolving regional travel. Founded in 2016,
JetBlue Technology Ventures is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JetBlue
(NASDAQ: JBLU) and is located in Silicon Valley, California. For more
information, visit www.JetBlueVentures.com.
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