PAYMENTS
My favourite part is bringing together the many different players in the space to develop new and creative approaches that can resolve complex requirements in the market.
At Worldpay, we have even created our own event for this: our annual Airline Payments Leadership Summit.
WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT AIRLINE PAYMENTS?
» The airline industry is a true pioneer and innovator in the payment space. The airlineowned card scheme, Universal Air Travel Plan( UATP), was the first international card scheme in the world. It was also the inventor of the card numbering system, which is why all card numbers starting with 1 are UATP cards, Visa cards start with the number 4, Mastercard with 5, et cetera.
HOW ARE PAYMENTS TRANSFORMING IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY?
» For many years, payments were an afterthought for airlines and the payment departments – if there were any dedicated in the first place – had very little relevance. This has significantly shifted since the pandemic. Suddenly, payments and the processing of refunds moved into the strategic spotlight and there have been no signs of this slowing down since – payments have remained a strategic business lever.
Having a payment strategy and constantly optimising the payment setup not only helps to reduce costs and keep the fraud at bay, but every percentage point increase in acceptance can significantly contribute to the bottom line.
Adding the right payment methods and currencies can increase market reach. New payment models, like subscriptions and marketplaces, help airlines and travel companies generate additional sales. An optimised payment experience – like storing your payment details in the frequent flyer profile – can help build loyalty.
WHAT ARE COMMON PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR IN AIRLINE PAYMENTS?
» Payments in the airline space are happening at two different speeds. Certain elements are moving at incredible pace – innovation with
84 April 2026