Oman Air has partnered with CellPoint Digital to expand payment options in its booking system, as every year, airlines lose millions not because of ticket prices, but because travelers abandon bookings when they can’t pay the way they want.
Oman Air has entered a new phase of its collaboration with CellPoint Digital fintech, focusing on modernizing passenger booking and payment experiences as part of the airline’s broader digitalization strategy.
The partnership, which began in 2023, now expands to support Oman Air’s multi-regional growth by enhancing its payment infrastructure. The airline is implementing a payment orchestration model to provide passengers with more choice of payment methods and to manage transactions across multiple acquiring banks. This approach is designed to reduce booking abandonment, improve conversion rates, and streamline cross-border payments.
As CellPoint Digital’s 2024 survey revealed that expanding payment methods has become a strategic necessity for airlines, since potential passengers simply abandon the purchase process if they face limited availability of alternative and popular regional payment methods. This is a major concern for almost one-third of airlines globally.
Besides, airlines lose profits as they spend over $20 billion annually on payment costs, equivalent to about 3% of total revenue and 78% of industry net profit. Inefficient payment systems lead to high transaction fees, lost revenue from failed payments, and reduced conversion rates.
With operations spanning more than 40 destinations, Oman Air requires flexibility in integrating region-specific payment options. The current phase of cooperation gives the airline greater control over its payment ecosystem, enabling faster integration of new partners and alternative payment methods. It also supports Oman Air’s adoption of modern retailing practices, including dynamic ticketing, bundled offers, and ancillary sales.
According to Surya Kuchibotla, VP of eCommerce, Ancillary and Retailing at Oman Air, optimizing payment processes is a central part of the airline’s retailing and expansion plans.
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