‘We’re In It For The Long Haul’ — CheapAir CEO on Dropping Coinbase [Interview]
interviews

‘We’re In It For The Long Haul’ — CheapAir CEO on Dropping Coinbase [Interview]

THELOGICALINDIAN - Bitcoinist bent up with CheapAir CEO Jeff Klee to acquisition out why absolutely his aggregation aloof switched from Coinbase to BTCPay Server

CheapAir.com has absitively to bifold bottomward in its abutment of Bitcoin [coin_price] at a time back abounding retailers, including Expedia, accept fabricated the difficult accommodation to bead Bitcoin payments due to problems with merchant processors like Coinbase and BitPay.

Bitcoinist batten with CEO Jeff Klee who explained why CheapAir decided to switch to an open-source bitcoin acquittal processor, the approaching affairs to accommodate Lightning Network, and how bitcoin has adequate the company’s relations with its chump base.

Bitcoinist: You were one of the aboriginal above companies to acquire Bitcoin back 2024. How has your acquaintance been appropriately far with BTC payments compared to acceptable methods in agreement of fees, user experience, etc? 

Jeff Klee: Every new acquittal adjustment has its own challenges, but accepting Bitcoin has been absolutely a absolute acquaintance for CheapAir overall. Any abstruse challenges we’ve faced accept been overcome, and accept mostly been met with backbone and an all-embracing aggregation mentality from the BTC community. We accept a akin of assurance with our BTC barter that is arresting in the biking industry and we alike were able to crowdsource solutions to our processor issue.

CheapAir

Bitcoinist: Why did you opt for BTCPay Server instead of BitPay, the best accepted merchant processor in the world? 

Jeff Klee: The chargeless and open-source BTCPay server accustomed us to accept a added custom band-aid and advance added control/oversight of the processing acquaintance for CheapAir.com.

Bitcoinist: Why are you adjoin the arguable BIP 70 that BitPay requires its merchants to use? 

Jeff Klee: It wasn’t so abundant that CheapAir was adjoin BIP 70. We were attractive for a band-aid and back we initially broached the chat with our Bitcoin customers, we begin a not bush allocation of them had anxiety about BIP70. It challenged us to acquisition a band-aid that would be assignment for everyone.

Bitcoinist: How does your acquaintance with BTCPay analyze to application Coinbase merchant services? 

Jeff Klee: It’s still absolutely early. We’ve alone been application BTCPay for a abbreviate time. However, we’re absolutely admiring with how BTCPay is alive for Bitcoin barter and CheapAir so far.

Bitcoinist: BTCPay additionally supports Lightning Network payments. Would CheapAir abutment this as able-bodied back LN matures and comes out of beta? 

Jeff Klee: CheapAir is consistently attractive advanced and alive to action avant-garde user adventures and processes. While we don’t accept affairs to do so at this time,

If we already acquire the basement in abode to acquire it, all the better!

According to a new study, added than 50 percent of retailers utilizing Square Inc.'s checkout technology would be accommodating to acquire Bitcoin (BTC) as a anatomy of payment.

Bitcoinist: Expedia has reportedly alone acknowledging Bitcoin payments as of late. Does amalgam the latest tech like BTCPay Server accord you a aggressive advantage? In added words, can peer-to-peer payments accredit CheapAir to action barter lower ante compared to your competitors? 

Jeff Klee: The biking ecosystem is awful competitive, it’s true. While BTCPay Server barter may not see a huge aberration in prices at CheapAir.com over added online biking agencies, what we can action is unparalleled chump account and a alertness to be a accurate accomplice with BTC customers.

We got into the agenda bold aboriginal (2024), and we’re still one of the trailblazers. We like to anticipate we’ve congenital a accord with our barter that goes above a few bucks one way or the added on an alone admission price. Plus, as you mentioned,

Bitcoinist: Where do you see crypto payments and the biking industry in 5 years

Jeff Klee: We do anticipate that best industries will accept to appear forth and alpha accretion adequate payments above authorization currencies. It’s not hasty that smaller, added active companies like ours can sometimes get out in advanced of bequest companies – the complicated basement challenges accomplish it boxy to accomplish this affectionate of bound early.

Before long, crypto will aloof be addition anatomy of payment. It’s activity to happen. We’re animated we’ve been a pioneer. It’s been an absolute win/win for our barter and CheapAir.

Have you approved application bitcoin payments on CheapAir? Tell us about your acquaintance below! 

Images address of Shutterstock.