United Airlines To Introduce PayPal QR Code Payment Option Inflight

(RTTNews) - United Airlines has teamed with digital payments firm PayPal to introduce QR Codes as inflight payment option, to facilitate contactless payments amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Starting next month, United customers on select flights can make touch-free inflight purchases while on board by just scanning a QR code - with or without Wi-Fi. The customers can simply show a flight attendant the PayPal QR Code in the PayPal app and use it to buy snacks, drinks and any other inflight purchases.

United claimed it is the first airline to offer PayPal QR Codes, which can be used on select flights departing from Chicago O' Hare International Airport in November. Before the end of the year, the service will be extended to all flights across the entire network where contactless payment is available.

In June, United unveiled its refreshed buy-on-board menu. The company also introduced brand-new meal offerings to customers seated in domestic premium cabins on flights over 1,500 miles and hub-to-hub flights over 800 miles.

United was the first airline to give customers in economy cabins the option to pre-order snacks and beverages from the airline's app and website. The airline also offers customers the ability to store payment information in a digital wallet.

Aiming to revive and boost the travel demand from the pandemic crisis, the airline has been making efforts by adding many features and offerings to its customers.

The company recently launched a plan to add and upgrade hundreds of aircraft as well as to invest in features like larger overhead bins, seatback entertainment in every seat and fastest available Wi-Fi.

It required all U.S. employees to receive COVID-19 vaccination, and had set a September 27 deadline. The number of unvaccinated employees were nearly 232 workers in the latest count among its 67,000 US employees.