Alaska Airlines Invests in JetZero
JetZero has secured new investment funding from Alaska Airlines. The aircraft engineering startup is developing a blended-wing aircraft design to reduce carbon emissions and fuel burn by as much as 50%.
The investment came through Alaska Airlines’ venture capital subsidiary Alaska Star Ventures includes options for future aircraft orders. The total value of the investment has not been revealed.
The blended-wing design combines the winds with the fuselage, creating a smoother overall shape which reduces drag and weight. The design also affords extra width in the fuselage which opens up possibilities for cabin layouts.
“At Alaska, we are always looking for ways to innovate and shape the future of air travel for our guests, employees, and industry,” said senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability Diana Birkett Rakow. “We are proud to invest in JetZero’s development of this innovative next-generation aircraft, with a significant step-change in fuel efficiency.”
Long Beach-based JetZero was founded in 2021 by Mark Page, who led the first NASA-funded blended-wing design initiative, and by Tom O’Leary, former COO of electric air taxi startup Beta Technologies. JetZero is targeting a 2030 launch for its aircraft.
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