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JetBlue to Become First Airline to Accept Apple Pay In-Flight

Monday February 9, 2015 10:17 pm PST by Husain Sumra
Passengers on select JetBlue Airways flights will be able to use Apple Pay to purchase things in-flight starting next week, according to USA Today. It will become the first airline to accept Apple Pay in-flight.

JetBlue-Logo
Starting next week, passengers on select JetBlue Airways flights can use Apple Pay on their iPhone 6 and 6 Plus handsets to buy food, drinks and certain onboard amenities when the plane reaches cruising altitude. You'll be able to upgrade to available premium seats, too.
Eddy Cue, Apple's VP for Internet software and services, told USA Today that "somebody else doing it always puts pressure on the other guy" and that other airlines could follow suit.

JetBlue's flight attendants will have iPad minis outfitted with a special case that will accept both credit cards and Apple Pay. Starting next week, only intercontinental flights from JFK to Los Angeles and San Francisco will accept Apple Pay, with additional flights in March and plans for all JetBlue flights to accept the payment service in June. Like iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the upcoming Apple Watch will also work with the system.


Cue notes that expanding Apple Pay into areas like travel is important. "Most people would prefer not to carry cash or worry about cash. There's a lot of opportunity there," Cue told USA Today. Apple would like to expand to subways and public transportation, but Cue said working with local governments and gaining funding for those initiatives moves slower than they would like. He says the eventual plan is to completely replace the wallet, and that Apple Pay is only the start.

Apple has continued to work with third parties to expand Apple Pay's reach, most recently having ChowNow update nearly 700 food and restaurant apps with the payment service.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: JetBlue
[ 96 comments ]


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ggt
54 months ago
Apple Pay really seems to be taking off...
Rating: 30 Votes
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pnoyblazed
54 months ago

Apple Pay really seems to be taking off...


...I see what you did there
Rating: 7 Votes
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technima
54 months ago
Unlike Google Wallet you won't have to pay for inflight WiFi to use Apple Pay. Google Wallet requires that you use it with an internet connection at least once a day, Apple Pay doesn't.

https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/2466137?hl=en
Rating: 6 Votes
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mejsric
54 months ago



My understanding is that if you don't have a PIN, you won't need a data connection to pay with Google Wallet. The "once a day" requirement, I think, is just a security measure, but is not a requirement at the time of payment.


Its more about your purchased datas...
Rating: 3 Votes
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dontwalkhand
54 months ago

Some UK supermarkets are trialling their own apps that link to your creditcard so I really can't see Apple Pay getting anywhere over here.

Certainly something I'm not bothered about and my friends with the iPhone 6 just wanted normal NFC.

Why not? Apple Pay will work with all of those existing NFC terminals. You guys already have a decent NFC terminal penetration. The whole thing about the supermarkets allowing you to link your own cards thing sounds like CurrentC that we are getting here at Walmart, and others. Just like how I don't see CurrentC stalling Apple Pay, it won't stall it in the UK either once available.

With the U.S. finally getting Chip & PIN, we have to replace all of the terminals anyway and pretty much everybody except Walmart and Best Buy will have it. (Though Walmart already has Chip & PIN, no NFC).

It's amazing last year I barely was able to tap my NFC card, now I'm able to pay with Apple Pay at 70% of places I shop at. The numbers are growing people.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Arcady
54 months ago

With the U.S. finally getting Chip & PIN


We're not getting chip & pin, we're getting the inferior chip & signature.
Rating: 3 Votes
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soheilk
54 months ago

Unlike Google Wallet you won't have to pay for inflight WiFi to use Apple Pay. Google Wallet requires an internet connection every time you use it, Apple Pay doesn't.

https://support.google.com/wallet/answer/2466137?hl=en


Really? But I thought it was only NFC-based. If true, this is really a huge plus for Apple.

Edit: read the article again. it says:

"You'll need a data connection once a day to tap and pay, and every time you need to enter your PIN or want to change/add payment sources."

My understanding is that if you don't have a PIN, you won't need a data connection to pay with Google Wallet. The "once a day" requirement, I think, is just a security measure, but is not a requirement at the time of payment.
Rating: 2 Votes
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dontwalkhand
54 months ago

Sorry, I changed it. You have to use Google Wallet at least once a day with an internet connection.

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Yes I was wrong, but it's once a day AND when you need to enter a pin. The requirement applies to either situation.

Think about it this way, if you don't use Google Wallet the day of your flight to tap and pay somewhere before getting on the flight then your screwed. And even if you did that you have to pay with the same card inflight because Google Wallet requires an internet connection "change/add payment sources".

The flight has Wifi. Non issue. The battery being charged is a bigger issue.
Rating: 2 Votes
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evansls
54 months ago

...I see what you did there


or... Apple Pay is really starting to take flight!

Anyone? Yeah? No? Alright...
Rating: 1 Votes
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gbc204
54 months ago

I love JetBLue, they are my favorite airline (too bad they don't go to Atlanta).

Only thing I worry is apparently they got a new CEO who doesn't think they have good enough margins and thinks they are being too generous (I can't remember what exactly it was but I read an article and it sounds like he pretty much wants Jet Blue to become sucky just like every other airline. Like he thinks they need to charge for more stuff and be less generous).

Just found one article on it and one of the things the article said he was saying: In July, responding to analyst queries about potential revenue opportunities, Hayes said the airline is studying “fare families” that include checked-bag fees, among other changes, and praised European low-cost carriers for presenting the fees in an “elegant” fashion.

That last sentence really has me worried. Oh wait, reading more on it, I don't have to worry, I know. He's already had them announce less leg room as they'll add more seats and fare packages where the lowest one will have to pay extra for baggage. Apparently, one article was comparing the changes to spirit, saying Jet Blue would at least not be as stingy as Spirit.

So basically he wants to ruin the airline and make it no different than any other.. Sounds like he wants to make it the worst option unless that's all you can afford (maybe one step up from Frontier. At least you don't have to pay for seat assignments and maybe you'll get to have a carry on for free... <- yes, frontier charges you for a carry on, in fact it's even more expensive than a checked in bag).

Crap, I didn't know any of that. This is terrible, terrible news. I always check Jetblue first, and unless other airlines blow away their price, I book Jetblue. If these changes go through, maybe I WILL start flying Virgin more. But still never flying Delta or United.
Rating: 1 Votes

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