Enhanced partnership allows eligible Visa cardholders across Asia Pacific access to SmartDelay, Collinson's airport lounge solution in the case of flight delays or cancellations, with immediate effect

SINGAPORE, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Collinson, owner and operator of Priority Pass and SmartDelay, today announced its partnership with Visa, a world leader in digital payments. The partnership will enable Priority Pass, the leading global airport experiences programme to offer eligible Visa cardholders in Asia Pacific instant access to premium airport lounges in the event of flight delays or cancellations, through SmartDelay.

With the latest flight delay statistics indicating that almost 1 in 5 flights within Asia Pacific are delayed by at least 15 minutes, and with 33 million travellers across the region impacted by flight delays of over 1 hour, there is an increasing need to address travellers' growing stress and anxiety when they embark on their journeys^[1]. Collinson's SmartDelay provides customers with instant benefits without the need to complete a claim form. As soon as the traveller is advised of the delay or cancellation, they can instantly redeem lounge access, including complimentary food and beverages at their time of need.

Insights from Collinson's recent Asia Pacific customer engagement and loyalty research report -  The New Rules of Engagement: Customer Expectations Revealed – found that travellers regard lounge access as the number one most desirable travel benefit at the airport. By equipping travellers with SmartDelay, it automatically addresses a pressing pain-point and improves cardholder service by immediately easing the pain of flight delays or cancellations.

Todd Handcock, Global Chief Commercial Officer and Asia Pacific President at Collinson said, "With travel across Asia finally open there's no better time than now to ensure that your customers are fully covered when they choose to travel. We know that flight delays and cancellations are extremely stressful, and through SmartDelay we aim to provide an easy solution to alleviate some of the stress and give travellers a place to relax and enjoy the benefits of the airport lounge."

Conor Lynch, Head of Consumer Solutions, Asia Pacific, Visa, said, "Flight delays and cancellations are often an inevitable and frustrating aspect of travel for many consumers. This is why we are delighted to partner with Collinson – our collaboration will offer eligible Visa cardholders with the assurance that they will be well taken care of if they face flight delays or cancellations before the start of any trip." 

Beyond lounges, Collinson is also growing its travel experiences offering, which includes restaurants, spas, sleep pods, gaming and wellness options. To learn more about how SmartDelay can help you add more value to both your customers and your business, please contact the Collinson Team.

About Priority Pass 
Priority Pass is the world's original and market-leading airport experiences programme. We provide travellers with access to over 1,400 airport lounges and travel experiences in over 650 airports in 148 countries. Members can access an ever-growing range of premium experiences – from spas to sleeping pods to dining – that help elevate every journey into something special. By building partnerships with other leading brands, we help to bring a better travel experience to the world.

Priority Pass is operated by Collinson, the global, privately-owned company dedicated to helping the world to travel with ease and confidence. 

About Collinson 
Collinson is the global, privately-owned company dedicated to helping the world to travel with ease and confidence.  

We work with the world's leading payment networks, over 1,400 banks, 90 airlines and 20 hotel groups worldwide. We deliver market-leading airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement, and insurance solutions for over 400 million end consumers. 

Collinson is the operator of Priority Pass, the world's original and leading airport experiences programme. Travellers can access a network of over 1,400 lounges and travel experiences, including dining, retail, sleep and spa, in over 650 airports in 148 countries, helping to elevate the journey into something special.