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Ryanair
How first-class collaboration helped get a merchant acquiring relationship off the ground smoothly.
Read time: 5 mins Added: 04/07/25
The complex nature of the aviation industry means that airlines must take large volumes of payments from locations around the world. As a merchant acquirer with vast experience in providing airlines with payment solutions, Lloyds Cardnet® is supporting Ryanair in taking eCommerce and card-not-present (CNP) transactions. Ryanair needed a first-class service with a streamlined onboarding process, and Cardnet stepped up to the challenge.
Founded in 1984, Ryanair began as a small airline operating between Ireland and the United Kingdom. After years of significant growth, it is now Europe’s largest airline, serving 240 destinations across 35 countries.
In the Spring of 2023, Ryanair turned to Cardnet for merchant acquiring solutions to sit alongside their portfolio of other acquirers. Both Ryanair and Cardnet were ready to proceed by August of that year, and given the enormous volume of payments they manage, Ryanair needed the onboarding and implementation process to be complete by October. With an expert team of dedicated payment specialists on hand – all of whom have rich expertise in onboarding large corporate clients – Cardnet got to work in getting the project up and away.
Ready for take off
Onboarding new clients is a multi-step process involving high numbers of moving parts. To meet ambitious deadlines, it needs significant levels of communication, stakeholder engagement and alignment. The Ryanair onboarding journey comprised of different phases to align with their needs. These phases range from supporting sterling traffic to wallets and Euro traffic.
“We were working with Ryanair under tight timelines to get the project running and complete phase one,” said Kris Stangar, Senior Client Implementation Manager at Cardnet. Kris worked closely with Ryanair and oversaw the onboarding process. “Since Ryanair were a new client and this was a new payment solution for Cardnet, there were many steps to the process.” This involved generating merchant IDs and rigorous testing of Ryanair’s payment gateways.
According to Kris, the success of the project can in part be attributed to Ryanair’s cooperation and readiness. “Ryanair knew what they needed from the outset, in terms of merchant ID requirements and the transactions being taken, which put both the project and our relationship on a good footing,” he said. “Such preparation paves the way for a more streamlined experience and helps us to deliver the best service possible.”
Kris Stangar Senior Client Implementation Manager, CardnetRyanair were looking for a safe pair of hands to deliver their transaction volumes, and through a close and collaborative relationship that’s exactly what we’ve been able to offer.
Pilots of the perfect partnership
At the centre of the onboarding experience was a focus on outstanding collaboration – both with Ryanair and Cardnet’s partners. This was essential to meet the client's timeline and expectations. The team organised weekly calls – sometimes even more regularly – with all partners, where progress and actions could be discussed. It was important, said Kris, to cultivate a joined-up approach with responsibility shared across all parties.
“The whole process is a very collaborative effort - between us, our partners, Ryanair as the merchant, and their payment gateways,” said Kris. “Everything is intrinsically linked, which means everyone needs to come to the table and work together.
Ryanair were excellent at making sure that we got the responses we need to drive forward. Along with our partners, we all had the shared goal of exceeding Ryanair’s needs, which meant that we were positioned for success and able to deliver a great service.” It was easy to overcome and solve any problems or challenges if they arose as a result of the close working relationship.
For Ryanair, this collaborative approach resulted in a smooth and streamlined experience. “Ryanair wanted a quick implementation to realise the benefits of the commercial partnership, alongside increased authorisation rates and relationship experience in our sector.” said John Norton, Group Treasurer at Ryanair.
“The implementation was executed at speed and with clear communication with all relevant stakeholders, including third parties. It was led by a dedicated implementation manager and team and was safe and considered in all aspects of risk and governance. All of this was underpinned by a smooth handover between Cardnet sales and relationship, allowing us to keep our confidence that Cardnet is the right partner for Ryanair.”
John Norton Group Treasurer at RyanairThe quick implementation was underpinned by a smooth handover between Cardnet sales and relationship, allowing us to keep our confidence that Cardnet is the right partner for Ryanair.
A smooth journey from beginning to end
Ryanair’s sterling traffic services are now live, and the relationship has continued to be productive and collaborative. “At Cardnet, we understand the intricacies of the aviation sector and it was a pleasure to be able to support Ryanair with our capabilities,” said Jason Szabo, Associate Director at Lloyds Cardnet. “Airlines have complex requirements – from the need to transfer more information to the ability to take payments from around the world – and we’re pleased to demonstrate our commitment to the aviation sector.”
Since Cardnet is part of Lloyds, rather than being a standalone merchant acquirer, the relationship team has their finger on the pulse of developments within the financial sector. This has meant that the relationship team have been able to share industry updates that may affect Ryanair, and ultimately allow both parties to be more reactive and agile as a result.
“Ryanair were looking for a safe pair of hands to deliver their transaction volumes,” said Kris. “Through a close and collaborative relationship, that’s exactly what we’ve been able to offer.”
With a wealth of experience onboarding large and complex corporate organisations, Cardnet’s specialist team can implement projects quickly and efficiently – always prioritising communication and collaboration. For more information on how Cardnet can support your business through merchant acquiring solutions, speak to your Relationship Manager.
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