Qatar joins JetBlue with stake in JetSuite

Qatar Airways will take a minority stake in JetSuite, joining JetBlue with a stake in the California-based public charter operator.

The unspecified investment by the Doha-based carrier will allow JetSuite and its subsidiary JetSuiteX to accelerate their expansion plans, Qatar says in a statement.

"We believe that both businesses are complementary to Qatar Airways’ business and maintain the core values and customer focus of our own business," says Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar. "We believe that JetSuite and JetSuiteX deliver a truly class-leading service to the US market with a huge potential for development."

In addition to the Qatar investment, JetBlue will increase its stake in JetSuite. The New York-based carrier declines to comment on how much more it will invest but says it will remain a minority shareholder.

JetBlue first invested in JetSuite in October 2016, after a failed attempt to acquire Virgin America.

Irvine, California-based JetSuite operates a variety of small business jets available for charter, while JetSuiteX operates Embraer ERJ-135s on a semi-charter basis to six airports in California and Nevada.

source : Flight Dashboard