Swiipr, the airline payment platform, has appointed Kirk Nagy as VP of Sales Americas.
Florida-based Nagy has more than 30 years of experience working for SaaS and data companies focused on airlines, ground handling companies and airports.
He joins from Cirium, where he was responsible for enterprise business development in North America.
In this role, he oversaw the launch of Cirium’s flagship data platform to support the digital transformation with tier 1 and tier 2 airlines in the Americas.
Nagy’s background also includes overseeing Americas sales and account teams, implementing SaaS solutions for airline network planning and revenue management, and overseeing irregular operations.
His other previous positions include Regional VP and Head of Alliances, Partnerships and Resellers at Travelport, Commercial Director and Regional VP at Worldspan and Commercial Director at American Airlines.
Tara Spielhagen, Co-founder and CEO of Swiipr added: “We’re thrilled to have secured someone of Kirk’s pedigree to lead our US business. We’ve seen a sharp rise in interest for our payment solutions from both existing partners and potential partners in the US this year. We believe Kirk’s extensive experience in the region will be an enormous asset in cementing our position in the US.
“We expect that more US airlines will be looking to modernise their practices as US Department of Transportation rules tighten up, giving passengers more clearly defined rights. Our digital disruption payment systems are the perfect way to both ensure compliance and improve the passenger experience.”
Kirk Nagy, VP of Sales Americas, said: “I’m excited to be joining the Swiipr team at such a crucial stage in its growth. Airlines in the US are increasingly discovering the benefits of Swiipr’s digital payments systems, which not only help passengers but also drive efficiencies for the airlines themselves.”
Last month Norse Atlantic Airways announced an extension of its partnership with Swiipr, expanding the use of its solution from its European operations to also include its US hubs of John F Kennedy International, Miami International, Los Angeles International and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
The Norwegian airline became the third carrier to integrate with the travel paytech company in the US, and there are now 28 airports across the US where airlines that have integrated with Swiipr are able to deliver real-time compensation and light refreshment vouchers, as well as goodwill gestures to inconvenienced passengers.
