United Airlines has introduced another inflight touchless payment option, as customers will soon be able to use a scannable PayPal QR Code to purchase snacks, beverages and other items, with or without Wi-Fi.
On Wednesday (October 6, 2021), United Airlines announced the launch of PayPal QR codes as another touchless inflight payment option. Customers on select flights will soon be able to simply show a flight attendant the PayPal QR Code in the PayPal app when purchasing snacks, beverages or other items onboard, with or without Wi-Fi. United is the first airline to offer this option as part of their industry-leading suite of contactless payment tools. PayPal QR Code payment will be available on select departures from Chicago O’ Hare in November, and by the end of the year will be available across United’s entire network where contactless payment is available.
In Wednesday’s announcement, United Airlines’ Chief Customer Officer, Toby Enqvist, said,
“Our contactless payment offering is built on simplicity and choice and it's another way we're improving the overall experience of flying United. PayPal is a terrific partner and this technology gives our customers another easy way to make purchases, even when they're not online. We expect to introduce even more new and innovative options for our customers in the future through our collaboration with PayPal.”
Also commenting on the new collaboration, PayPal’s SVP – Enterprise Segment Solutions and Digital Commerce, Frank Keller, added,
“We're excited to be partnering with United to introduce our new offline QR code functionality, adding more ways for customers to check out with PayPal in more places, especially in offline or low connectivity areas. Bringing PayPal QR Codes inflight reinforces our commitment to offering customers choice and provides a new level of touch-free convenience for consumers when making in-flight purchases, within the PayPal app they know and trust.”
To take advantage of the new payment option, guests should simply download the PayPal app and set their preferred payment method as QR Code prior to leaving the gate. Next, to make an inflight purchase, customers will click on the ‘Pay with QR Codes’ button and then click the ‘In-flight Purchase’ button. Customers will then show the QR code to a flight attendant to scan, and will receive an e-mailed confirmation receipt upon landing.
United Airlines’ guests will soon be able to use PayPal QR Codes to enjoy many of the new food options on offer as part of the carrier’s new Buy-On-Board menu introduced in June 2021 and to make other onboard purchases.
United Airlines’ shared purpose is “Connecting People. Uniting the World.” In 2019, United and United Express® carriers operated over 1.7 million flights carrying over 162 million guests. United Airlines operates the most comprehensive network among North American carriers with mainland U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Shares in the company’s parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., are publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol ‘UAL.’
Source: United Airlines/PRNewswire