Alternative Airlines to offer flexible payments through Klarna tie-up

‘Pay Later’ product allows passengers to pay for their travel up to 30 days after the purchase, and even ‘snooze’, or delay, payment

Alternative Airlines, a UK-based flight search website, has partnered with European payment provider Klarna to allow customers an alternative way to pay for their travel.

The Klarna payment option will offer increased flexibility of payments at the point of booking to customers in the UK, Germany and the Nordics.

Klarna’s ‘Pay Later’ product allows passengers to pay for their travel up to 30 days after the purchase, and even ‘snooze’, or delay, the payment for a small fee.

Pay Later, which allows customers to pay in three equal instalments that are automatically deducted monthly from their chosen payment card with no interest, fees or late payment charges, will soon be available for customers in the UK.

Alternative Airlines customers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Poland, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands will also be able to use Klarna’s service through the Klarna Group company Sofort, a registration-free online banking service.

For the flight search website, Klarna will add to its list of payment methods that includes brands such as PayPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Affirm, Apple Pay and Alipay in China.

Alternative Airlines’ managing director Sam Argyle said: “We’ve seen a real change in the way people purchase flights.

“We know that there is a lot of mental friction surrounding booking travel; where to go, where to book, how to travel are just some examples of things that need to be considered.

“Together with Klarna we aim to reduce the friction for our customers in the payment space as they from now on will be able to choose when and how they would like to pay for their travel, and thereby create a more enjoyable experience from start.”

Wilhelm Hamilton, senior commercial manager travel at Klarna, added: “Travel represents one of the largest household expenses and is an important purchase decision for families and individuals.

“By introducing the possibility to pay when and how they want, we empower the customers by allowing them to tailor their travel budget to their individual needs.

“Travellers are customers that want to explore new destinations and seek new experiences, and through this partnership we want to make sure that the planning and payment journey is also a great experience.”