Qatar Airways Acquires Stake in US's JetSuite

Doha, April 10 (QNA) - Qatar Airways has taken a minority stake in JetSuite, a leading U.S. private aviation company, as well as an indirect stake in JetSuiteX, the carrier said Tuesday in a press release. The agreement means that Qatar Airways joins JetBlue Airways and a number of private investors as stakeholders in both JetSuite and JetSuiteX. With this investment, Qatar Airways will help fuel the growth of JetSuite's private aviation business, which currently focuses on light and very light jets. The investment extends to JetSuiteX, the sibling company to JetSuite, further accelerating the expansion of its acclaimed semi-private air service on the U.S. West Coast and beyond. JetSuiteX fills a niche in underserved short haul markets and small airports, and enjoys a Net Promoter Score over 90, higher than the major U.S. airlines. JetSuiteX operates its fleet of Embraer 135 aircraft from private terminals in California and Nevada, with no lines, no waiting and no stress, at a price competitive with commercial travel. The Qatar Airways investment will enable faster expansion of this fleet and the ability to reach new destinations, including the potential to bring the semi-private model to additional U.S. regions, the statement added. "We are delighted to have the opportunity to invest in such unique business as JetSuite and JetSuiteX; we believe that both businesses are complementary to Qatar Airways' business and maintain the core values and customer focus of our own business," Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said. "We believe that JetSuite and JetSuiteX deliver a truly class-leading service to the U.S. market with a huge potential for development, and we are very excited to invest in this opportunity alongside JetBlue and the other investors," Al baker added. For his part, Alex Wilcox, founder and CEO of JetSuite and JetSuiteX, expressed his delight at being able to attract the attention of "one of the world's highest rated and fastest growing airlines," noting that the two sides share "focus on customers and product." "JetSuite's innovative JetSuiteX service and customer-focused approach aligns perfectly with our values at JetBlue, which is why we are so pleased that our partners at Qatar Airways are joining us in supporting this venture," Wilcox said. "We look forward to seeing JetSuite further grow on the West Coast and beyond to bring additional air travel choices to customers in underserved markets." This investment further supports Qatar Airways' investment strategy, which already includes minority investments in several other international carriers such as International Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines Group, Cathay Pacific and Air Italy. (QNA)