Finland’s Helsinki Airport has adopted AliPay, a Chinese mobile payment application, to provide a familiar payment method for Chinese passengers at the airport.

The airport is one of the first in Europe to feature the third-party payment platform, which is provided by Chinese online marketplace company Alibaba.

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Helsinki Airport Commercial Services director Elena Stenholm said: “Chinese passengers are the most rapidly growing customer group at Helsinki Airport, and the group that use the most money.

“We work hard to offer them the best possible service experience. Familiar and easy payment options increase the feeling of smooth and safe travel for Chinese passengers.”

Commercial operators at the airport began adopting the new AliPay mobile payment application in December 2016. 

Stenholm added: “We work in close cooperation with our commercial partners to develop the customer experience. AliPay has been received very well, and we encourage businesses to enable it.

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"Familiar and easy payment options increase the feeling of smooth and safe travel for Chinese passengers."

“If the biggest commercial operators at the airport come along, the amount of outlets accepting AliPay will increase tenfold at once.”

The mobile payment platform can be used at Helsinki Airport’s Finspiration, Lindroos, Iittala, M-Box and Moomin Shop outlets.

Finnish airport and air navigation system operator Finavia aims to allow commercial operators at all Finnish airports to use the AliPay payment system.

According to Stenholm, Munich and Frankfurt airports are the only other European airports to adopt and accept AliPay.

Currently, seven commercial service points at Helsinki Airport have adopted the Chinese mobile payment platform, while many more are interested.

Image: Helsinki Airport among the first European airports to use AliPay mobile payment system. Photo: courtesy of Finavia.

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