Wirecard wins SunExpress, one of Europe’s leading leisure airlines, as new client

Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology, has signed an agreement with SunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, to process credit card payments in local travel agencies. The collaboration adds to the list of over 90 clients which Wirecard is already working with in the airline sector, processing both online and in-person payments.

Within the terms of the agreement, SunExpress uses the International Air Transport Association (IATA) interface in combination with the billing and settlement plan (BSP) via Wirecard's digital platform in six countries worldwide. The BSP is the world's most used system for straightforward processing of airline ticket sales.

SunExpress is one of the largest airlines operating between Germany and Turkey and it has been offering non-stop services to Turkey and to popular holiday destinations for almost 30 years. In 2018, SunExpress welcomed almost 10 million passengers. This year, the airline is operating the largest fleet in its history, with 84 aircraft serving 90 destinations in 30 countries. According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey recorded more than 4.5 million visitors from Germany in 2018, which corresponds to second place in the international ranking behind Russia. Conversely, around 500,000 people travelled from Turkey to Germany. This puts Germany in fourth place among the most popular tourist destinations among Turks. The airline therefore also benefits from the growing trend towards package holidays.

"SunExpress is an established brand with a strong heritage, and also remains highly innovative. We are delighted to assist the airline in improving further aspects of their business - namely digitalizing and streamlining transactions via the BSP. Optimizing payment processes is key for airlines in order to meet increasing customer demand and we are looking forward to expanding our collaboration with SunExpress in this area," said Eckart Reiche, Vice President Sales Airlines at Wirecard.

"In order to maintain and expand our position as one of the leading leisure airlines in Europe, close collaboration with tour operators, travel agencies and our service partners is key. Through partnering with Wirecard, we are now able to optimize the digital processing of credit card payments in travel agencies. This enables us to further enhance customer service and brand loyalty," said Fatih Meriç, Finance Director at SunExpress.