Heathrow’s Plaza Premium lounges to accept Alipay

Chinese online payment app Alipay is to be accepted at multiple Plaza Premium lounges at London’s Heathrow Airport. It will be integrated using Zapper’s QR code technology, enabling Chinese passengers to use their mobiles for cashless payments while travelling through … Continue reading →

Chinese online payment app Alipay is to be accepted at multiple Plaza Premium lounges at London’s Heathrow Airport.

It will be integrated using Zapper’s QR code technology, enabling Chinese passengers to use their mobiles for cashless payments while travelling through the UK hub.

Li Wang, head of Alipay EMEA, said: “Heathrow Airport is definitely one of the most popular airports among Chinese tourists travelling to Europe. Working with Zapper’s technology, the target is to bring our users a seamless payment experience whether it’s when they are shopping, eating out or just looking for a quiet place to relax whilst travelling.”

Alipay launched in China in 2004 and has more than 520 million active users in China. Surveys have shown that 85% of mobile payments in China are currently made by scanning a QR code.

There are Plaza Premium lounges in terminals two, three, four and five, and they include free wifi.

Amin Amin, general manager at Plaza Premium Group in the UK said: “As Alipay grows throughout Europe and the UK, we are extremely proud to be the first independent lounge group to offer Alipay payments at London Heathrow Airport. We have a strong desire to do be one step ahead of our competitors, always striving to give our customers the ultimate travel lounge experience.”

Partnered with Alipay in 2016, Zapper app also accepts mobile payments and loyalty using QR code technology. It has adapted its solution to enable Alipay users travelling to the UK the ability to scan the same QR code to make payments via the Alipay app.

Ben Walker, commercial director for Zapper UK added: “The only independent lounges to accept Alipay in the UK, this will enable Chinese tourists travelling both to, from and via London the opportunity to pay and gain entry using their Alipay app.”