According to a local newspaper report, Norwegian Air, a top-ranked European airline, may soon accept cryptocurrency payments for flight tickets. Coindesk also reported in February 2020 that the Norwegian Block Exchange (NBX), a leading crypto exchange of the country, will facilitate air ticket purchase with virtual currencies. More and more industries of both public and private sectors are exploiting the cost-effectiveness and safety of cryptocurrencies nowadays.

Norwegian Air has certainly noticed this and became one of the few airlines to utilize this tech-dependent currency system. The CEO of NBX, Stig Kjos-Mathisen disclosed that the crypto exchange had developed a payment platform for air travellers. The airline customers will be able to purchase air tickets with cryptocurrencies. Kjos-Mathisen claimed that the exchange is fully prepared to start its operation.

He hinted in August 2019: “At some point, when the technology matures, you’ll be using digital currency and you won’t really notice that you’re using it…But right now, in the beginning, you will definitely be aware … So you need to incentivize people in the beginning. And then they will start using it because they see it’s convenient.” 

Norwegian Air is the largest airline in Scandinavia and the third-largest in Europe. After being launched in 1993, it has been trying to offer affordable air travel solutions to its customers. Passengers can enjoy flights all across Europe and North Africa and some selected areas in the Americas. There is no official date as to when the Norwegian Air will start accepting cryptocurrency for air tickets, but most reports point to the spring this year.

The airline feels that the inclusion of digital currencies technology in the financial system will reduce operational costs. It would also eliminate the need for a broker or third-party during the payment process. The airline already implemented extensive cost cuts in the last year, resulting in its best-ever quarterly income in October 2019. It carried around 37 million passengers in 2018, the highest-ever figure for the company in a single year. In addition, NBX has been serving as a platform for using digital currencies in the country since its inception, and it will let the platform to be used for the purchase of air tickets. 

Crypto payment for air ticket is not new

Several airlines and travel agencies currently accept cryptocurrencies. Destinia.com, airBaltic, CheapAir.com, Peach Aviation, Abitsky.com, and XcelTrip are some notable names in the field. However Latvian airline airBaltic started the trend in 2014 when it announced crypto as a means of payment.At that time the airline ranked among the top 10 innovative airlines worldwide. Its CEO claimed the introduction of digital currency payment as an innovative approach to customer service. However, airBaltic also had to take the help of a third-party payment processor for the conversion of crypto into the euro.

Whatever the process is, the inclusion of cryptocurrencies into airline business is certainly a positive sign for the virtual asset industry.