Event: 2019 Phocuswright Conference
Product: Pilota
Category: Startup Company
HQ: New York, NY U.S.
Principal(s): Saniya Shah, CEO; Cyrus Ghazanfar, CTO; Omer Winrauke Head of Product; Kulvinder Lotay, Head of R&D
Funding: $20K investment from Cornell Tech; the rest is bootstrapped
Product Description: We provide free, proactive and automatic rebooking of flights during delays and cancellations. We continuously monitor our traveler's flights and predict the probability of disruption. When there is a high probability of a disruption, we rebook them on a new flight, so they are not competing for a seat on the next flight out with the other passengers. With Pilota, travelers will no longer have to deal with the stress and frustration of flight disruptions, or the cost associated with it.
Business Model: Similar to insurance, we charge a transaction fee on each flight that we protect and use these fees to cover the cost of any flights that need to be rebooked.
Competitors: Freebird, Lumo, FlightStats
Competitive Edge: Our rebookings are proactive so travelers are protected ahead of time. They are automatic which eliminates the need for manual work. Our platform can be directly integrated into an agency's booking platform, providing ease of use.
Market Opportunity: Each time a flight disruption occurs to an employee, it costs the company about $1,200. With flight disruptions occurring about 5% of the time, if a company is spending $100M on travel, they can save $11M by using Pilota on their employees' flights.
Early Customers: Fifth Meridian Travel: A corporate and luxury travel management company based in New York City.
Contact: Saniya Shah, CEO; saniya@flypilota.com; +1 603 320-5299
