Roshan, a mobile network in Afghanistan, says it now offers mobile payments for Kam Air, a private airline based in Kabul.
Users of Roshan's M-Paisa wallet can transfer funds via SMS and purchase Kam Air tickets at a 10% discount, Roshan says. The M-Paisa service comes through a Roshan partnership with Vodafone and is regulated by Afghanistan's central bank.
Once travelers use M-Paisa to purchase their Kam Air travel, they receive an SMS text confirmation with a reference number and this serves as their airline ticket, Roshan says.
The M-Paisa service includes an interactive voice response system to be used in conjunction with sending SMS texts. The IVR capability, available in Dari, Pashto and English, is considered vital in a country where 70% of the population is illiterate, according to Roshan.
Roshan says the mobile payments with Kam Air, which is a strategic partner, is "the first of its kind in Afghanistan."
Kam Air, with IATA code RQ, flies domestically and to such international destinations as India, Pakistan, Iran, United Arab Emirates and Austria.