Liz Gannes

Recent Posts by Liz Gannes

Get Free Airport Valet Parking — If You’re Willing to Rent Your Car With FlightCar

Airport-based car-sharing is a win-win, because: 1) people don’t particularly like paying to park their cars when they leave for other places; and 2) people like to rent cars when they arrive in new places.

At least that’s the premise of FlightCar, which is launching today at San Francisco International Airport.

FlightCar is similar to other car-sharing services like RelayRides — for instance, it also has a $1 million insurance policy to cover damage, which seems pretty important when total strangers borrow your car.

However, there are some additional incentives for drivers who participate in this airport-specific shared economy:

  • FlightCar will meet you at short-term parking at the airport with a valet driver when you depart and return.
  • Parking is free for the full time you’re gone.
  • You get paid if someone borrows your car.
  • And your car gets washed every time.

FlightCar was founded last year by a trio of 18-year-olds — so, coincidentally, they’re below the minimum age to rent from Hertz and Avis and the rest.

The company is currently part of the Y Combinator startup program and has just raised $650,000 in seed investment from SV Angel and others. Co-founder Shri Ganeshram said FlightCar has set up operations at a warehouse near SFO and plans to expand to other airports once it has figured the first market out.

Latest Video

View all videos »

Search »

Nobody was excited about paying top dollar for a movie about WikiLeaks. A film about the origins of Pets.com would have done better.

— Gitesh Pandya of BoxOfficeGuru.com comments on the dreadful opening weekend box office numbers for “The Fifth Estate.”