Dubai: Emirates airline has launched a new payment platform - Emirates Pay - that allows travellers to pay for tickets online by directly debiting their bank account instead of using a credit card.
The programme is available for Emirates’ customers in Germany and the UK, and is powered by a ‘white-label solution’ developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in partnership with Deutsche Bank. (A white-label solution is a product or service that can be rebranded and resold as one's own to clients.)
“Customers who don't have a credit card, and those already using direct payments for other purchases, will welcome the simplicity and security of this method when making travel purchases,” said Michael Doersam, Chief Financial Officer at Emirates.
How does it work?
The airline provides all the necessary account and payment information and passengers approve the payment initiation in a convenient way via their online or mobile banking. For airlines, the new payments solution offers a “cost-competitive” payment alternative with “faster” settlement times, supporting “enhanced” airline liquidity as well as reduced payment fraud, said Emirates.
For consumers, Emirates Pay addresses the demand for more secure payment options, including account-to-account payments. "We are very proud that Emirates, which is widely recognized as one of the world's best airlines, is the first airline to implement the new payment solution,” said Ole Matthiessen, Global Head of Cash management at Deutsche Bank.
Emirates will also continue to operate its Business Lounge in Concourse B, which has been open since July 2020. The re-opening is the latest in a phased programme where the airline has steadily and safely restarted its ground services for premium customers over the past year.
