CHINA TOPIX

11/22/2024 03:39:40 am

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Apple Pay Coming To JetBlue Airlines

Apple Pay is moving up into the airwaves, allowing iPhone users to pay for food and other in-flight things using the mobile payment service on JetBlue Airlines.

Currently, Apple Pay will only be available on JetBlue flights from New York JFK, San Francisco and Los Angeles airports. By June all airports should support the payments service.

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It is a first for mobile payments on an airplane, showing the unique brand advantage Apple has when compared to PayPal and Google Wallet, which failed to win over any commercial aircraft with their own services.

JetBlue will offer an iPad Mini to connect to the iPhone, allowing an NFC connection between the two devices. The service has already been approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and by the third quarter JetBlue's own iOS app will support the payments option.

"Somebody else doing it always puts pressure on the other guy," said head of services Eddy Cue, claiming Apple Pay would come to more airlines than just JetBlue within the next few months.

Apple Pay has been widely accepted by banks in the U.S., but the retail side has been less interested in the payments service, due to Walmart and Best Buy opting for a QR based payment service launching this year.

Even with this small setback, more retailers are starting to back Apple Pay and the launch into Europe will only further promote the payments service as the number one for mobiles.

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