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

[MacRumors]

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.

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.

Article Link: JetBlue to Become First Airline to Accept Apple Pay In-Flight

 

[Arcady]

Can I use it to buy tickets on a real airline?

 

[ggt]

Apple Pay really seems to be taking off...

 

[technima]

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

 

[soheilk]

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.

 

[technima]

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

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

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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.

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".

 

[bpeeps]

Who flies Jet Blue? Virgin all the way.

 

[mejsric]

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...

 

[pnoyblazed]

Apple Pay really seems to be taking off...

...I see what you did there

 

[dontwalkhand]

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.

 

[ds2000]

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.

 

[dontwalkhand]

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.

 

[Tech198]

"Most people would prefer not to carry cash or worry about cash.".....

....extend that to cash too or Credit Cards

However, the lessor falls back as default when our phone is not charged up, and we do not have the required adapter to charge our phone while flying.

Suddenly, credit cards and cash seem not too bad after all..

Wouldn't it be better than to "wait" and just see how many companies get on board with Apple Pay first after being rolled out globally, then to rush into things head first (like Apple is doing) and rolling Apple Pay left, right, and center??

Tim must be jumping up and down like a kid excited about candy,, (maybe ease up on the coffee)

 

[Arcady]

With the U.S. finally getting Chip & PIN

We're not getting chip & pin, we're getting the inferior chip & signature.

 

[ds2000]

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.

Interesting to hear how quickly its being taken up over on your side of the pond

I have to confess I have no idea about our current NFC paypoints, whether it was a mastercard/visa rollout (so would they take a cut of applepay?) or whether is rolled out by company X

I hope it gets rolled out, as a 5S user I'm due an upgrade this fall and if I could ditch half of my cards (more store loyalty cards going into passbook would be nice a well) I'll be a happy man

 

[dontwalkhand]

We're not getting chip & pin, we're getting the inferior chip & signature.

There is no physical difference from a Chip & PIN and Chip and Signature terminal and both can accept both types of cards. Though our terminals in the US also accommodate the electronic pens for signature transactions. But they still have a number pad can be used for either a debit PIN or a Chip & PIN card. The cards themselves are another story and it sucks that most banks want C&S instead. Though all hope isn't lost as Australia went to C&S too until recently when they went to Chip. & PIN.

Other people traveling TO the USA will have no issues using their Chip and PIN here thanks to the PIN pad in the C&S terminals, but we Americans may have some degree of trouble using Chip and Signature abroad. Though Visa and MasterCard are trying to fix that and promised by July of 2015, C&S cards will no longer an issue in those pesky self service kiosks as they'll support "NO CVM", since I doubt they'll incorprate an electronic signature pad in a European train ticket machine anytime soon.



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Interesting to hear how quickly its being taken up over on your side of the pond

I have to confess I have no idea about our current NFC paypoints, whether it was a mastercard/visa rollout (so would they take a cut of applepay?) or whether is rolled out by company X

I hope it gets rolled out, as a 5S user I'm due an upgrade this fall and if I could ditch half of my cards (more store loyalty cards going into passbook would be nice a well) I'll be a happy man

Your bank will more than likely be paying for Apple Pay if it's going to be the same setup as here in the US. The reduction of fraud alone is worth it to them.

As for store loyalty cards, at least here in the US, you can opt to type in your phone number on the credit card machine instead (I do for Safeway, Walgreens etc). Is this not an option across the pond? This alone reduced my cards down to a drivers license and a backup card.

 

[djgamble]

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

Yeah surprised me actually! I woulda thought for sure that Apple Pay used the internet and had some wizardry going on rather than storing all the card details locally and transmitting the necessary info using RF... clearly not.

 

[nia820]

Nice try JetBlue. But that still isn't enough for me to fly your crappy airline.

 

[Boomish69]

Apple Pay Taking off?

I wish it would taxi onto blooming runway here, still waiting on news here in the UK. yet even had cardless payment for years..I use my debit card for the train all the time now.

 

[Tankmaze]

That's convenient, but does the phone has to be in airplane mode in cruising altitudes ? or you have to use wifi in order to pay ? might as well just swipe the credit card. knowing most wifi is not free onboard.

 

[MH01]

How is JFK to Los Angeles or San Francisco intercontinental? I suppose if the world is the North America Continent for you, intercontinental might mean within that one continent

 

[2457282]

Love this. Hopefully pushes other airlines to accept as well. To be honest, I never purchase anything in-flight, but I think this just continued expansion is great.

I am surprised that no one has said " only flying JetBlue from now on." (Frankly, I didn't know they were still in business)

 

[hfletcher]

How is JFK to Los Angeles or San Francisco intercontinental? I suppose if the world is the North America Continent for you, intercontinental might mean within that one continent

Surely it should be an intracontinental flight?

 

[Rogifan]

Do companies need to do something special to support Pay? Is it possible to support only Pay? Or is this just a case of Apple marketing and Apple getting retailers to push/advertise Pay even though they support other forms of contactless payments as well?

 

[dontwalkhand]

Do companies need to do something special to support Pay? Is it possible to support only Pay? Or is this just a case of Apple marketing and Apple getting retailers to push/advertise Pay even though they support other forms of contactless payments as well?

Just their existing merchant account and credit card terminal with the NFC feature turned on. aka: not much of anything.