Airbnb announced on Thursday that airline industry veteran Fred Reid has joined the company as global head of transportation to lead an intensive push into transportation.
“We’re going to explore a broad range of ideas and partnerships that can make transportation better. We haven’t settled on exactly what those will look like,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement.
Back in 2016, Bloomberg reported that Airbnb was developing an air travel booking service, called Flights, which would put it in direct competition with companies like Priceline and Expedia for more of the online travel spending pie. The platform was reportedly due to launch about 18 months later, prior to an initial public offering. Just over two years later, there’s been no word about Flights and an IPO date has not been confirmed. However, Reid joining the company appears to solidify its push into travel.
An Airbnb spokesperson told Cheddar Arbnb wasn’t ruling out an option to book a plane ticket, but emphasized that Reid’s transportation effort will be about much more than just providing a way to buy a ticket.
“I’m not interested in building our own airline or creating just another place on the Internet where you can buy a plane ticket, but there is a tremendous opportunity to improve the transportation experience for everyone,” Chesky said.
Prior to joining Airbnb in January, Reid served in executive roles at Virgin America, Lufthansa German Airlines, Flexjet, and Delta Airlines, where he led the formation of SkyTeam alliance. In his last role as president of Cora Aircraft Program, a division of Kitty Hawk, he oversaw the development of an autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Reid’s experience and connections within the industry will be key as Airbnb gets serious about fleshing out its transportation offerings, and forging partnerships that, in Reid’s words, “make travel easier and even fun.”
“Airbnb and its incredible global community have revolutionized where you stay and what you can do when you travel,” Reid said in a statement. “I’m excited to work with them to tackle the third part of the travel experience: how you get there.”
Big Apple workers who deliver for food apps like Doordash and Grubhub will now receive a number of legal protections provided through a package of new regulations that have started going into effect. These updated rules include more control over their deliveries, pay and tip transparency, a higher minimum pay rate, and access to restaurant bathrooms during the workday. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander joined Cheddar to elaborate on the regulations and how the platform holders reacted. "I have to say it's a mixed bag," he said. "Grubhub actually welcomed the legislation and said they recognize they need to do better by their deliveristas, but DoorDash, unfortunately, has actually been pushing back against the legislation."
Ed Gaussen, co-founder and CEO of Mantra Health, and Matt Kennedy, co-founder and COO of Mantra Health, joined Cheddar News to discuss the digital mental health startup's latest funding round and plans for the future.
Tire manufacturer Michelin is partnering with the popular video game "The Sims FreePlay" in order to meet teens where they are to promote driving safety. Michelin North America Chairman and President Alexis Garcin joined Cheddar News to discuss how the #GoldenGauge program integrates with the game. "If you're a gamer yourself or your kids, then while you're driving and moving on the application, you will find a Michelin billboard, and if you engage with that billboard, then you will get some advice about how tires are critical for your safety on the road," Garcin explained. *Updated with the full title of 'The Sims FreePlay' and a typo fix in the name of Alexis Garcin.*
The video game industry has come a long way from the first commercialized 3D video game in 1980, but it still has a long way to go. Video game creators have recently been called out for not having realistic Black hairstyles in their games and graphic artists are now taking matters into their own hands by creating The Open Source Afro Hair Library. Jovan Wilson, 3D artist and resident for The Open Source Afro Hair Library, joined All Hands to discuss.
After reporting record deliveries in Q4, expectations are high for Tesla's Q4 earnings call. Garrett Nelson, senior analyst and VP of equity research at CFRA, joined Cheddar News to discuss predictions about the report and what he sees as the emphasis on the EV maker's future. "We think the focal point of the release is really going to be on their guidance for 2022, the timing of the ramp-up of their new factories in Texas and Germany in the face of these chip shortages and supply chain issues, and also next steps in its long-term growth plans," he noted.
