Air BP unveils the Sterling Reward Prepaid Visa Card, General Aviation's first direct cash back reward card, at NBAA.

Tuesday 22nd October 2013

Leading aviation fuel supplier Air BP has today, at this year's American National Business Aviation meeting in Las Vegas, unveiled its first ever loyalty product for the General Aviation market. The new Sterling Reward Visa® Card (Full name Sterling Reward Prepaid Visa® Card), operated in conjunction with Citibank* Worldwide, is the first direct cash back reward card offered to the General Aviation market and will enable Air BP's Sterling Card holders to earn money back on fuel purchases.

In the first instance the product will only be available to USA-based Air BP Sterling Card Holders who can apply immediately for the card online at www.airbpsterlingreward.com**. Customers who are issued the new Sterling Reward Visa® Card will receive one USD cent back onto the card for every qualifying US gallon of fuel purchased from any Air BP Sterling Card acceptance location worldwide***.  The Sterling Reward Visa® Card can be used internationally, online and by phone, to purchase goods wherever Visa® cards are accepted. Customers will also be able to manage their account online and have access to a full client support service.

Air BP will also be offering increased rewards for Card holders during promotional periods at specific locations around the world. To mark the Card launch it has selected London Biggin Hill Airport as the first site to offer special rewards. During the promotional period, which will be effective from today 22 October to the end of March 2014, Card holders who fuel at the airport will receive ten times the normal cash back, so for every US gallon of fuel purchased, 10 USD cents will be added to the Sterling Reward Visa® Card. Air BP and London Biggin Hill Airport already collaborate at a number of levels with Air BP providing fuel to the airport, fuel farm maintenance, on-going OMEGA customer training, product quality advice and the supply of refuelling vehicles.

Earlier in the year London Biggin Hill Airport announced the development of its "Sister Airport Relationship" with Teterboro Airport, New York. The relationship was implemented to encourage participation and cooperation by both parties to support international business aviation. As partner airports it is anticipated that the new Air BP product, and the associated special promotion at London Biggin Hill Airport, will stimulate further links between the US and UK locations as it aims to encourage US pilots to maximise the opportunity from the Sterling Reward Visa® Card at one of London's busiest private airports.

We appreciate that customers have a choice of fuel providers and wanted to show our appreciation to our Sterling Card holders who remain loyal to Air BP," said Miguel Moreno, General Manager, Air BP:  "We anticipate that the exciting new offering will be welcomed by our existing Sterling Card holders, and will attract new customers to Air BP. We are also pleased that, through our relationship with London Biggin Hill Airport and its association with Teterboro, we can stimulate US Sterling Card holders to make the most of the new offering in the UK too."

The new Sterling Reward Visa® Card will become available to existing Sterling Card holders in Spain, Portugal, UK and France over the next three months and will gradually roll out worldwide during the next year to the majority of global Air BP locations.

Visit Air BP at this year's NBAA on Booth C8817

*Cards are issued in the US by Citibank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and managed by Citi Prepaid Services. Cards will not have cash access and can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

**Terms and conditions apply. Please see the website for further details.

*** Currently all Sterling Card purchases globally (except for India) will be eligible for cash-back payment.

About Air BP:

Air BP is one of the world's largest suppliers of aviation fuels and currently supplies over 7 billion gallons to its customers across the globe each year.

Air BP fuels more than 8,700 flights every day - that's one every 10 seconds.

The company operates at around 600 global locations in over 45 countries serving customers from the private pilot to some of the world's largest airlines.

The Sterling Card can be used throughout Air BP's global network of around 600 locations, including Air BP's self-serve locations, in over 45 countries so providing easy access to fuel for thousands of Air BP clients including private pilots, aircraft management companies and corporate flight departments. Air BP's card programmes were introduced in 1993 to bridge the gap between airline, general business and private aviation customers as an easy means of payment for aviation fuel on an ad hoc basis.

www.airbp.com