FlySafair has been the first airline in the world to debut Chat 2 Pay, a service that allows consumers to pay for booking extras using WhatsApp.
Using this option, clients may add their checked luggage to an existing booking and pay for the service without leaving a WhatsApp conversation.
Currently, launch capability is restricted to adding checked baggage, but the airline is in the process of adding more choices, such as snack coupons, to the platform.
FlySafair’s chief marketing officer, Kirby Gordon, stated that the airline is excited to provide this creative new booking management system.
“WhatsApp is such an integral part of our daily lives that it makes perfect sense to include these features into its ecosystem. Gordon stated that this is the latest in a series of recent enhancements to FlySafair’s WhatsApp service.
“Last year, the airline collaborated with technology partner Clickatell to implement features that enable passengers to manage bookings via WhatsApp.”
Passengers can check a flight’s status, check in, confirm the inclusion of checked luggage, receive boarding tickets, and live chat with airline customer support professionals all using WhatsApp.
“Our goal is to offer all the functionality currently available on our website via WhatsApp to make booking and reservation administration as simple as possible from beginning to end.
“Introducing this payment capability is the next step in achieving this objective, reducing the stress of traveling by providing a convenient, safe, and secure method of making payments directly within the chat environment.”
Werner Lindemann, senior vice-president of enterprise sales for growth markets at Clickatell, stated that their collaboration with FlySafair is another proof that chat commerce is an integral component of a flawless customer journey.
“South Africa’s favorite chat channel, WhatsApp, has already become an integral part of FlySafair’s omni-channel offering, and we are excited to see what new chat services our teams can deliver to an airline that clearly takes pride in its innovation and commitment to engaging with customers on the channels they prefer,” said Lindemann.
By sending “Hi” to the FlySafair business account on +27 87 357 0030, passengers can access this WhatsApp service. Following the basic directions, passengers will select My Booking as the first choice to identify their reservation.
Ultimately, payment is done using WhatsApp by following the instructions on the secure payment link and submitting payment with any Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card.
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