VANTAGE BECOMES INNOVATION PARTNER TO JETBLUE VENTURE CAPITAL SUBSIDIARY

JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV), the venture capital subsidiary of JetBlue Airways, has announced that Vantage Airport Group is to become one of its industry innovation partners.

The International Partnership Programme was established by JTV in July 2018 to build a network of like-minded global partners embracing start-ups 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 programme’s second partner and 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.

It says that the goal is to identify start-ups 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.

“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 programme partner expands opportunities for existing and potential portfolio companies, as well as other start-up partners.

JTV plans to announce other travel and hospitality providers joining the programme over the coming months.

“We’re very excited to welcome Vantage to our International Partnership Programme and look forward to ideating together to create the airport and travel experiences of the future,” said Amy Burr, managing director of operations and partnerships at JTV.

“It’s powerful to bring together different stakeholders of the industry to information share and collaborate at an earlier stage in the innovation process.”

The 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 multi-billion 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.”