American Express and Delta Air Lines have announced the launch of Delta Reserve Credit Card and the Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card, new premium co-branded credit cards for U.S.-based consumers. According to the two companies, 'the Delta Reserve Credit Cards are designed to cater to the needs of Delta’s on-the-go customers and provides Cardmembers with a greatly enhanced travel experience through benefits such as the ability to earn Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) faster, share MQMs with family and friends for the first time ever, access to the dedicated Breezeway priority boarding lane and frequent traveler security line, Delta Crown Room Clubs access, and 24-7 concierge services.' The cards have an annual fee of $450.   » Continue Reading

A comment on the Rocky Mountain News website by Louise M. Furche suggests that First Data Corp. got what it deserved from how it handled its credit risk management of Frontier Airlines. She suggests that "a better route for First Data would have been to sit down face-to-face with Frontier since they are both based in the Denver area and a meeting could have taken place with less than a 30-minute drive to a neutral location."

In an article titled 'First Data: We were surprised, too', David Milstead reports for the Rocky Mountain News that First Data spokeswoman Staci Busby said today that "we [First Data] were taken by surprise when Frontier Airlines filed for bankruptcy. In our numerous conversations with them, they never informed us that filing for Chapter 11 was even a consideration."

Felix Salmon writes for Conde Nast Porfolio about credit card holdbacks, merchant acquirers and Frontier Airlines.   » Continue Reading

Chris Walsh writes for Denver's Rocky Mountain News about the Frontier Airlines bankruptcy filing late last week and the need to move quickly to resolve a dispute with its credit card processor, First Data Corp. Walsh writes that "the carrier initially will look to resolve a dispute with its credit-card processor, First Data, over the amount of money the company can withhold on Frontier's ticket sales."

Aldo Svaldi writes for the Denver Post about Frontier Airlines chapter 11 bankruptcy filing which resulted from what Svaldi reports as a significant increase in the reserve requirements that First Data, as Frontier's merchant acquirer, was imposing. [Editor's note: We first reported the Frontier/First Data news last Friday morning here on Payments News.]

The Denver Business Journal cites a statement issued earlier today by First Data Corp. on the Frontier Airlines bankruptcy filing.

Frontier Airlines this morning announced it had voluntarily filed to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code late last night. The airline is continuing normal flight operations today.   » Continue Reading

JetBlue Airways has announced that customers booking at www.jetblue.com now have the option to purchase flights using PayPal.   » Continue Reading

Bill Me Later, has announced that 'Continental Airlines is offering customers that pay with Bill Me Later $20 off the total price of their airfare. The discount is available to new Bill Me Later customers that purchase tickets at continental.com or by calling Continental reservations at 1-800-523-3273 through April 23. In addition, customers that pay using Bill Me Later can take advantage of special promotional financing offers including no payments for 90 days and no payments for six months on purchases of $1500 or more.'   » Continue Reading

A reminder that the Airline Payment Summit is coming up in Toronto, Ontario on April 9-10, 2008. "As airline yields come under downward pressure, Airline Payment Summit (APS) will examine leading-edge low-cost payment solutions within the landscape of traditional forms of payments such as credit cards."

Northwest Airlines has announced that it is "offering cash back into customer PayPal accounts when they purchase a ticket at www.nwa.com using PayPal for payment. PayPal is offering $50 USD cash back into customer PayPal accounts when they purchase tickets of $250 or more by March 27, 2008. Travel must take place between April 1 and June 14, 2008, and tickets must be purchased at www.nwa.com."   » Continue Reading

The Airline Payment Summit is being held in Toronto, Ontario on April 9-10, 2008. "As airline yields come under downward pressure, Airline Payment Summit (APS) will examine leading-edge low-cost payment solutions within the landscape of traditional forms of payments such as credit cards."