HAHNAIR
These conversations emerge from weekly one-to-one meetings where Benjamin presents ideas and WorldPay assesses viability.
The relationship extends beyond typical vendor-client dynamics too. Benjamin has direct contact with Thomas Helldorf, who leads WorldPay’ s airline division.“ He literally wrote the book on airline payments,” Benjamin says, expressing his gratitude for working so closely with such an expert. The two execs often communicate via WhatsApp to discuss new ideas and industry developments.“ It’ s actually amazing to think that the biggest payments company on the planet has that kind of relationship with its customers,” he reflects.
Customer experience and the friction debate Payment strategy ultimately serves travellers booking trips through agents. For Benjamin, there are two competing philosophies when it comes to how to improve customer payment journeys. One camp advocates providing maximum choice so customers find exactly the payment method they prefer, whether that’ s PayPal, Pix, Rupay or Vero. The other prioritises frictionless experiences with single-click payments using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay with biometric authentication.
“ The importance is finding a balance,” he suggests. Payment choice matters where it’ s relevant. Companies should offer Vero to European customers, while questioning whether it is the right move to offer Pix or Rupay to everyone.
Market-specific targeting makes sense, as does understanding different payment methods’ limitations and compatibility.
Travel presents unique considerations around friction too. Unlike buying coffee, for example, booking a holiday involves large sums and is of significant importance to the people making the purchase. At the end of the day, customers want to be assured that their transactions are completed properly.“ Friction isn’ t always a blocker to do a transaction, because of the size and the importance of the transaction,” Benjamin explains. Different markets have different expectations about security measures. 3D Secure authentication, for instance, is acceptable in the UK but can be a challenge in the US.
52 February 2026