Passengers view commodities on board via a tablet. (Chinanews.com/Feng Lin)

China's Hainan Airlines, together with Alipay and Shareco, announced on March 9 the launch of an online mobile payment service, making Hainan Airlines the first domestic airline to offer this advantage. Passengers can upgrade their tickets and make online purchases using Alipay, Chinanews.com reported.

When taking Wi-Fi-enabled Hainan Airlines flights, passengers will be able to connect their tablets and laptops to an internet connection provided by Shareco. They can shop online and use Alipay to make real-time payments, all while in the air.

Alipay and Shareco have taken careful measures to protect passengers' private information. Private data will be immediately deleted after payment to prevent leaks.

At present, Hainan Airlines offers in-flight Alipay mobile payment on 15 wide-body airplanes, which accommodate more than 60,000 passengers per week. One passenger who has tried the service said that buying gifts thousands of meters in the sky is a unique experience. The passenger expects this service to spread in the future.