Skift Take
Did Airbnb just hire the Chip Conley of aviation?
Since the fall of 2016, when Airbnb launched its first product outside of homesharing, CEO Brian Chesky has hinted at the possibility of the company entering the transportation space with "Airbnb Flights."
Ever since, numerous new reports have pondered exactly how Airbnb would delve into transportation. Would Airbnb build or buy an airline? Would it buy a booking engine or a metasearch platform?
Today, it's still unclear exactly what Airbnb intends to do with transportation. But the $31 billion company has taken the step of hiring longtime aviation industry veteran Fred Reid to be its first-ever global head of transportation.
In this new role, Reid, the former president of Delta Air Lines and the founding CEO of Virgin America, will be tasked with "building partnerships and services that make travel seamless while delivering the kind of people-to-people hospitality Airbnb is known for around the world."
One thing Reid is unlikely to accomplish anytime soon is the development of an Airbnb-branded airline.
In a press statement announcing Reid's appointment, Chesky noted, "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."
Reid added, "Airbnb and its incredible global commun
