KUALA LUMPUR: Low-cost long-haul airline AirAsia X has signed up to accept payments for tickets from eBay subsidiary, ecommerce payment company PayPal.

The Malaysian based carrier says it is the first airline with services in the Asia-Oceania region to partner with PayPal, which iis effectively an online banking service allowing people to use deposited funds to buy items online.

Launched in Australia in 2005, PayPal claims to have more than 60 million active accounts across 190 markets in 17 different currencies around the world.


But the company is in the midst of some controversy in Australia at present due to moves by eBay to compel traders to use its service and refusing to allow payments from rival ecommerce companies, or payments by bank transfer direct into vendors accounts.


From June 10, all AirAsia X customers can purchase airfares and AirAsia X gift vouchers online through the electronically-protected PayPal payment facility.

AirAsia X GM, Australia, Darren Wright said the new payment option for customers would provide a convenient and "trusted" on-line merchant service. He confirmed to AviationRecord.com that customers could still pay for flights online using their Visa or MasterCard, without going through eBay. Those wishing to use American Express or Diners - not currently accepted by AirAsia X online, could use those cards through PayPal, however.


“All customer transactions for airfares and AirAsia X vouchers can be processed through PayPal which means customers can be confident in the knowledge their financial details are very secure when they buy tickets online,” Wright said.

“This is an exciting step for AirAsia X particularly as we are the first airline in the Asia Pacific region to contract the services of PayPal for payments methods.

“With PayPal, AirAsia X customers now have the choice of paying for tickets using debit cards, bank accounts, stored balances or credit cards through their individual PayPal accounts, all without sharing their financial details.

Andrew Pipolo, PayPal's Australian MD, said, the company was pleased to welcome AirAsia X as the first airline amongst the growing roster of merchants who accept PayPal.

"Over 5 million PayPal account holders in Australia prefer to use PayPal because of the security and convenience it offers. Now these customers can use PayPal to buy airline tickets."

AirAsia X, which has four weekly flights from the Gold Coast to Kuala Lumpur and five weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Hangzhou (Shanghai), started services to the Gold Coast in November 2007.

In November 2008 it will introduce six weekly return flights between Perth and Kuala Lumpur, increasing to daily services by March 2009.


The burgeoning low cost airline has already reached a milestone of 200,000 seats sold since its inaugural flight in November 2007.