Alaska Airlines ends cash transactions on flights

Those looking to buy alcoholic beverages, a meal or enjoy a pay-per-view movie on a flight operated by Alaska Airlines had best slip their dollars back into their wallet and prepare their credit card instead. Earlier this week, the US-based carrier decided to go cashless on all of its flights, accepting only card payments for onboard purchases. The new rule will come into effect as of August 5^th, 2008 and as such, passengers will be able to pay with either their credit or debit cards as of this point. All major cards, including American Express, MasterCard and Visa, will be accepted for all purchases and the same, hand-held machine will be used to process transactions and issue receipts as has become common in many European and North American restaurants in recent years.

Alaska Airlines is hardly the only US carrier to go cashless. JetBlue, a discount airline, and Virgin America are both known to accept only card payments onboard all flights. Those who travel frequently on low-cost airlines in Europe and purchase drinks or snacks on these flights probably understand why carriers are tempted to stop permitting cash payments. Flight attendants spend far too much of their time searching for change during cash purchases, especially when passengers pay with higher denomination notes.

The only problem for Alaska Airlines is that many of its passengers may not actually have credit cards. Marianne Lindsey, the firm’s corporate communications manager, recognized that this may, in fact, be the case in some of the more remote regions of Alaska. As such, the carrier will sell $5 vouchers at airport counters, which passengers can purchase using cash, prior to boarding the plane.

www.alaskaair.com