Air Uganda has become the second airline – after Kenya Airways – to adopt the MTN Mobile Money platform for ticketing. The new service is set to change how Ugandans purchase their air tickets and is available to all MTN Mobile money users across the country. Air Uganda adopted mobile money – Airtel Money and Safaricom’s M-Pesa – in Kenya, now Ugandan passengers can do this using MTN Mobile Money.
According to the CEO Air Uganda Cornwell Muleya, the move comes as part of the airline’s desire to empower more people to fly more by offering easy access to tickets and payments. This is the latest addition to other payment platforms already provided by Air Uganda to facilitate customers to do business with the airline.
MTN CMO Ernst Fonternel (right) and CEO Air Uganda Cornwell Muleya (left) addressing the media during the event
To utilize the service customers will be required to book a ticket at any Air Uganda office or website after which they will get a reference number and ticket fare. One can then go to the Mobile Money menu on their phone, select pay bill then select goods and services enter the code U7, amount and reference number then contact Air Uganda sales office for their ticket.
Muleya who was addressing the media at the Airline’s office in Kololo on Monday 28th October 2013 said, “Using MTN Mobile money our customers can now pay for air tickets and other services with us. We are pleased to partner with MTN in this initiative which leverages on the technological advances in Mobile technology and secure money transfers. This is yet another step which improves our service delivery and is already delighting many of our joint customers with MTN.”
MTN Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Ernst Fonternel also speaking at the event said since the launch of the service five years back, MTN Mobile money has enjoyed unprecedented success, registering in excess of 28 million transactions each month with more than 4.7 million customers active on Mobile Money. “As per GSMA 2012 global mobile money adoption survey, MTN Uganda ranks 2nd in the world in the number of active Mobile Money customer accounts. Today as we launch this partnership with Air Uganda, I’m hopeful that the Airline’s customers will find MTN Mobile Money an easy, convenient, safe and secure service,” he said.
The mobile money payment option is not only intended to bring increased operational efficiency and cost effectiveness for the airline but also greater convenience for the travelling public.