Latvian airline to start accepting Bitcoins
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Latvia’s airBaltic will become the first airline in the world to accept Bitcoins.
The Riga-based carrier confirmed this week that it will start accepting the virtual currency as payment for its tickets to 60 destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
“airBaltic has been ranked among top 10 most innovative airlines globally. Introducing the Bitcoin payment option is a part of our innovative approach to service with a central focus on our customer,” explained Martin Gauss, airBaltic’s CEO.
The Bitcoins will be accepted from passengers booking tickets via the airline’s website. The airfares will be displayed in euros, and the Bitcoins will then be converted into euros at the current exchange rate.
To implement the scheme, airBaltic teamed up with Bitpay, a third-party payment processor that converts Bitcoins into euros.
Bitcoin were introduced in 2009 and are gradually being accepted by the travel industry. US online travel agency CheapAir.com started accepting the currency last year, and two Las Vegas hotels – D Las Vegas Casino Hotel and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino – have also started accepting the Bitcoins for in-house services such as food and beverage.
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