Latvian Airline Starts Accepting Payments in Dogecoin, Other Cryptos

Latvian airline, airBaltic has become the latest to take cryptocurrency mainstream as the company started to accept multiple cryptocurrencies, including Dogecoin, as payments for ticket booking.

Announced on Monday, the airline added Bitcoin Cash, Ether and Dogecoin, along with four USD-pegged stablecoins, GUSD, USDC, PAX and BUSD to its payments options. The airline has already been accepting Bitcoin since 2014, making it the first airline company to accept cryptocurrency.

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The Latvian company has tapped BitPay to process its cryptocurrency transactions. The prices will be flashed in euros, and the payment processor will convert the received digital currencies into fiat at the current exchange rate. The airline also made it clear that it will not receive any cryptocurrency.

Crypto payments on airBaltic’s website will not include an additional transaction cost and are available for flights booked at least five days ahead of the scheduled departure.

“As an innovative airline, we always strive to search for ways to improve the customer experience starting from the booking process,” airBaltic CEO, Martin Gauss said on adding cryptocurrencies.

“Over the years around 1000 clients have used the payment option, which may not seem like a lot, but still offers passengers a unique payment option hard to find elsewhere.”

Doge Getting Mainstream?

Though many mainstream companies are now accepting top cryptocurrencies as payment, airBaltic is among few to accept Dogecoin, which was created from taking inspiration from an internet meme.

The prices of the Dogecoin skyrocketed with endorsements from billionaire Elon Musk and several celebrities. However, Musk-headed Tesla, which recently added Bitcoin as a payment option, kept its distance from Doge.