British Airways' Airportr delivery service receives £2m investment

AirPortr, a mobile luggage check-in and delivery service, has received a £2m investment by Stobart Group, following the government’s call for evidence to create a new aviation strategy.

This includes city check-ins for luggage that should help passengers through improved accessibility, security and customer experience.

Launched in October 2016 with British Airways, AirPortr is the first ever delivery service to be integrated into airline booking systems, which brings baggage to travellers’ doorsteps and rids of the need to transport luggage to and from airports.

Randel Darby, CEO and founder of AirPortr, said: “In addition to the credibility of being backed by a FTSE 250 company and one of Britain’s best known brands, we are excited to be working with Stobart and the operational expertise that the group brings.

“This investment will help us to meet increasing demand for an alternative mobile check-in solution in cities around the world.

“Airline luggage logistics have long lagged behind some developments in travel technology and we’re proud to pioneer a solution, which we feel could represent the biggest step change since the boarding pass went mobile.”

This £2m investment from Stobart, part of a larger funding round, will support AirPortr as part of the company’s plans to expand its services with several additional airline partners and in new worldwide cities within the next three years.

Using Stobart’s ownership of the entire supply chain including logistics, aviation services and infrastructure, the partnership aims to create a new, co-branded solution addressing the constraints shown in airlines and airports, while improving customer experience.

Warwick Brady, CEO of Stobart Group, concluded: “London airports are at peak capacity and this is having a major knock-on effect on customer experience.

“We believe that there are opportunities to improve the experience throughout the aviation supply chain; from hassle-free airports, to well managed and efficient luggage handling.

“We’re excited to support AirPortr, a business with logistics at its heart, to become another key component to a vertically integrated aviation business capable of improving airport capacity.”

AirPortr is currently partnered with Gatwick and Heathrow airports in London and the service is offered to British Airways customers via its online channels and mobile app.

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