How American Airlines Gives Select Travel Startups an Edge
Skift Take
American Airlines has a lot on its plate these days, and it's a huge company. An internal team focused on startups helps the airline earn goodwill among entrepreneurs, and the team can put startups in touch with the right people at the airline who can lend a hand.
American Airlines doesn't have a startup "fund" as a former official previously suggested, but a five-person team within its small and midsize business unit is backing incubators, providing free flights, and opening doors.
In fact, it's hard to verbalize the importance of the help that a travel startup can get with the backing of an airline the size of American Airlines, with its large leisure and business traveler customer base.
For example, consider year-old VerbalizeIt, a New York City-based startup that provides human translator services and mobile apps to travelers and businesses.
VerbalizeIt, with $3.22 million in funding, was just featured in the August 15 edition of the airline's American Way in-flight magazine (page 73).
