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One of the largest airline companies in Spain – Vueling – will join forces with BitPay to enable clients to pay for tickets in several cryptocurrencies starting from 2023.
Crypto Takes off With Vueling
According to a recent press release, the Barcelona-based airline will use Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) technology (a global settlement network in the sector) to integrate the offering more effectively.
Initially, Vueling will support 13 cryptocurrencies, including some of the leading ones by market capitalization, such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and others.
Assuming the move sees the light of day in January 2023 (as planned), the Spanish firm will become the first low-cost airline in Europe to say “yes” to digital assets as a payment method.
Jesús Monzó – Manager of Distribution Strategy and Alliances at Vueling – believes the move reaffirms the company’s status as a “digital airline.”
For his part, BitPay’s Vice President of Marketing – Merrick Theobald – said Vueling “recognizes the potential of cryptocurrencies to transform the airline industry, making payments faster, more secure, and less expensive on a global scale.”
The company is the largest airline in Spain in terms of fleet size and the number of destinations. It flies to over 120 locations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Earlier this year, Vueling dived into the Metaverse, too. Specifically, it allowed clients to visualize and book their trips with the carrier through distribution channels in the virtual reality.
Crypto and the Airline Industry
Last year Venezuela’s biggest airport – Simón Bolivar International Airport (more popular as MaiquetÃa) – revealed its intentions to accept digital assets as a means of settlement. Director Freddy Borges argued that the initiative could boost the domestic tourism sector:
“Just as Russian passengers arrived in Margarita, they will also come to La Guaira through Conviasa, so we must advance in these new economic and technological systems that can be accessed.”
Dubai’s Emirates Airline also presented similar ambitions. A month ago, the firm said it plans to embrace bitcoin as a payment method while also adding NFTs on its website for trading.
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