- Qatar Airways expands UnionPay payment option to an additional 31 countries and regions
- UnionPay payment option will be available in 31 additional countries and regions for Qatar Airways passengers
- Qatar Airways passengers in 73 countries worldwide will be able to use UnionPay as their preferred payment method when booking tickets online
DOHA, Qatar, 2018-Mar-05 — /Travel PR News/ — Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it is extending its partnership with international bank card network UnionPay to an additional 31 countries and regions, providing a convenient payment option for even more Qatar Airways passengers around the world when booking tickets on the airline’s website.
Customers in countries including Qatar, Kuwait, India, Oman, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil and South Africa, among others, will be able to take advantage of UnionPay’s secure payment option when booking tickets on the airline’s website to more than 150 destinations on Qatar Airways’ extensive global network.
The expansion of the agreement was signed on 28 February 2018 at a special ceremony held at the UnionPay head office in Shanghai, represented by Mr. Marwan Koleilat, Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Asia Pacific; and Mr. Larry Wang, UnionPay International Vice President.
Under the expanded agreement, Qatar Airways and UnionPay will embark upon greater collaboration for various sales and marketing initiatives. Both parties will also look at creating a new and exclusive co-branded card that will provide UnionPay customers exclusive benefits on selected products by Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, Mr. Marwan Koleilat, said: “We always seek to ensure that our passengers’ journey is smooth and seamless, from the moment they book their tickets until the point at which they reach their final destination. The expansion of our agreement with UnionPay will provide even more customers the opportunity to use UnionPay as their preferred payment option when booking their tickets online, ensuring a convenient and hassle-free booking experience.”
UnionPay International Vice President, Mr. Larry Wang, said: “As more and more travellers prefer to go on free-and-independent travels, UnionPay International continues to deepen our partnerships with international airlines, to provide safe and smooth online flight ticket purchase service to our global customers. Our expanded agreement with Qatar Airways will increase UnionPay card acceptance rate in the airline industry, offering better card-using experiences to UnionPay cardholders outside mainland China. The co-branded card to be issued will enhance the benefits we provide for our cardholders in the aviation industry, and will enhance UnionPay’s value proposition and boost our overseas expansion.”
With about 90 million cards issued outside mainland China, UnionPay is offering payment convenience to a growing number of global customers. Now, UnionPay is accepted at more than 10 million online merchants based in more than 200 countries and regions outside mainland China. It is particularly convenient to make travel reservations with UnionPay cards online. Today, passengers are able to use UnionPay cards to purchase flight tickets at the official website of more than 40 international airlines. In 2017, online flight ticket transaction volume of UnionPay grew by 140 per cent year-on-year.
As well as being voted Skytrax ‘Airline of the Year’ by travellers from around the world, Qatar’s national flag carrier also won a raft of other major awards at last year’s ceremony, including ‘Best Airline in the Middle East,’ ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.’
Qatar Airways operates a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft to a network of more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. The airline will launch a host of exciting new destinations in 2018, including Thessaloniki, Greece and Cardiff, U.K, to name just a few.
Notes to Editors:
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is celebrating more than 20 years of Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations. The world’s fastest-growing airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network in 2018, including Thessaloniki, Greece; Cardiff, UK and many more, flying passengers on board its modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘Airline of the Year’ by the 2017 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class,’ ‘Best Airline in the Middle East,’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.’
Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld global alliance. The award-winning alliance was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 by Skytrax for the third year running. Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cups, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest international cargo carrier, serves more than 60 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally with more than 200 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes eight Airbus A330 freighters, 13 Boeing 777 freighters and two Boeing 747-8 freighters.
For further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200
Source: Qatar Airways
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