AirPlus: Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)

What does Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) mean for AirPlus customers?

With the revised Payment Services Directive PSD2, which has been implemented in national law by the member states, the EU legislator is taking the increasing digitization of European payment transactions into account.

One of the key points of PSD2 is the obligation for so-called "Strong Customer Authentication" (SCA). This means that online and card payments now basically have to be confirmed by two independent characteristics from the categories of knowledge, possession and inherence. We therefore speak of so-called two-factor authentication (2FA).

For certain payment products in the corporate payment area, Regulation 2018/389 of the European Commission on SCA (RTS) provides for a catalog of exceptions to the requirement of two-factor authentication under certain conditions.

For AirPlus products this means in detail:

AirPlus Company Account (UATP):

The AirPlus Company Account has qualified for one of the exceptions provided by the RTS due to the processes and protocols that are classified as particularly secure. Therefore, nothing will change for AirPlus customers with regard to the AirPlus Company Account.

AirPlus Virtual Cards (A.I.D.A.):

AirPlus' virtual payment solution is currently being converted to a state-of-the-art IT system. The changes to the AirPlus Virtual Cards are largely related to the new legal requirements for an SCA. In the course of the migration, AirPlus will also meet a number of customer and partner requests in order to make payment with the virtual Mastercard® even more convenient and secure. The aim is to be able to forego the requirement of two-factor authentication in the future as well. Insofar, nothing will change for AirPlus customers for the time being. AirPlus will inform you in time about possible adjustments.

AirPlus Corporate Cards Mastercard/Plastic (Germany):

In contrast to the purely digital payment products, the conditions for payment transactions with the AirPlus Corporate Cards are gradually being adapted due to EU regulations. 

On-site payments: For on-site payments, the presentation of the credit card and the entry of your PIN for authentication are already standard. Therefore nothing will change for AirPlus customers of AirPlus Corporate Cards Mastercard.

Online payments: The majority of customers already use the 3D Secure procedure for online payments, which requires entering an SMS-TAN. All other customers are asked to enter their mobile number in the AirPlus business travel portal immediately.