How American Airlines Gives Select Travel Startups an Edge

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).