Capital A is entering into a partnership with UnionDigital Bank, the digital bank subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines, involving three key subsidiaries, namely AirAsia, airasia Superapp, and BigPay. These collaborations were unveiled at the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting press conference in Cebu on Sunday, attended by industry leaders and policymakers.
AirAsia is the airline business of Capital A, while airasia Superapp is the one-stop travel platform offering services from flights, hotels, ride-hailing, loyalty programs and more. BigPay is the fintech arm providing accessible and secure digital financial services with the vision of improving financial wellbeing and accessibility in Southeast Asia.
UnionDigital Bank’s role will be to provide embedded finance in partnership with BigPay within the airasia Superapp travel platform, the main booking channel for AirAsia flights in the Philippines.
This synergy promises to deliver a seamless and enriched travel booking experience for airasia Superapp’s users, and redefine the way people travel and manage their finances.
The partnership will enhance the travel experience of frequent fliers with flexible payment options with a Fly Now, Pay Later offer available in airasia Superapp, and exclusive co-branding deals. This will create a progressive shift in the way customers plan and pay for their flights and other travel-related services, making fintech more convenient and accessible for Filipinos.
“For Capital A, the vision has always been to provide low cost, best value services, connecting people and realising dreams, for people of Asean and beyond. With UnionDigital as our proud partner, we are now on our way to create a future where travel meets innovative financial solutions that facilitate everyone’s dream journeys with unparalleled ease. We look forward to working with UnionDigital to redefine travel coupled with fintech as an accessible and enriching experience,” said Tony Fernandes, CEO Capital A.
He added, “Data has shown that 7 out of 10 of our customers in the Philippines save up for their travel plans, carefully budgeting to ensure they can explore the world comfortably. It is this inspiring dedication that fuels our determination to break down barriers and create a more connected and inclusive global community.”
UnionDigital Bank’s partnership with BigPay, a leading mobile wallet providing financial services in Malaysia and Singapore, solidifies its expansion into the Philippine market. Through this partnership, BigPay will be able to serve Philippine customers with secure and frictionless financial services that will improve their financial health and management in the long-run.
