Emirates Airlines has joined a growing list of companies set to accept Bitcoin as a payment option. The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Adel Al-Redha, disclosed this.
He suggested that the company might have to recruit employees to assist it in creating applications that would monitor customer needs. He further explained the differences between NFTs and the metaverse.
According to Bitcoin.com, he stated, “NFTs and metaverse are two different applications and approaches. With the metaverse, you will be able to transform your whole processes — whether in operation, training, sales on the website, or complete experience — into a metaverse type application, but more importantly making it interactive.”
The company said it would also add non-fungible token collectables on its webpage.
Al-Redha did not give an exact date when the airline would launch its BTC payment service. This report is coming weeks after the airline announced its NFT and metaverse plans. According to the company, its goal with its metaverse launch was to ensure it aligned with the UAE’s vision for the digital economy.
According to him, the airline explored using blockchain to keep aircraft records. He added that the company might use the metaverse to transform its processes such as operations, training, website sales, and other airline-related experiences into the digital world.
This is coming as airports and airlines worldwide explore ways to integrate blockchain-based technologies and crypto payments. In February 2021, Air France collaborated with several organisations to create a blockchain-based system that verifies COVID-19 test results.
The Latvian airline airBaltic added Dogecoin and Ether into its payment options in March 2021 since it has been accepting BTC since 2014.
In October 2021, Salvadoran President, Nayib Bukele, said the airline, Volaris El Salvador, would start accepting BTC payments.