Source: Ingenico ePayments
Ingenico ePayments, the online and mobile commerce division of Ingenico Group, today announced it has signed an agreement with Air China, China’s flag carrier and one of the largest airlines in the Asia-Pacific region, to provide the ability to accept Discover Card transactions in North America.
The agreement also gives Air China the capability to accept all cards on the Discover Global Network, through Discover Global Network’s strategic alliance agreements with issuers from around the globe.
Ingenico already processes a range of cards and alternative payment products from all over the world for Air China, and the addition of Discover Global Network acceptance will further expand payment options for Air China’s customers. North America is Air China’s most important foreign market, and demand for tickets is growing rapidly.
Discover Global Network has alliances with more than 10 payments networks around the world. Air China already accepts Diners Club® Cards as a payment option for Japanese consumers, and made the decision to add Discover Card acceptance to better serve the North America market. The company plans to further expand the acceptance of Discover and Diners Club cards to additional countries later in the year.
“We strive to provide the best possible travel experience, and experience begins with the ticket purchase process. By working with a trusted partner like Ingenico ePayments to enable Discover acceptance, we ensure that we can offer the right payment options for our valued passengers. If they start their travel experience with maximum choice, convenience and reliability, this reflects on our brand as well.” said Ms. Wang Wei, Senior manager of E-commerce Department at Air China.
Ingenico ePayments has a long-standing partnership with Discover, allowing the company to offer Discover Global Network cards such as Diners Club, Discover and cards of network alliance partners which include BC Global Card, RuPay and Elo, as well as all Billing & Settlement Plan (BSP) business running on the Discover Global Network.
“As payment partner for Air China, we noticed a steady increase in payments originating from North America - one of their key markets,” said Nick Tubb, General Manager of Asia Pacific at Ingenico ePayments. “However our analysis showed that they could further expand their reach in the region by adding Discover Card acceptance. Millions of Discover cardholders will now be able to seamlessly pay for their travels with Air China.”