Bye Bye paper tickets

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

IATA, the airlines governing boday has decided that paper tickets are going to be no more.

http://www.iata.org/pressroom/briefings/2007-08-27-01.htm

"IATA Issues ‘Last Call’ for Paper Tickets - 16.5 million tickets to fill need until deadline


Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today announced it has placed its final order for paper tickets. Some 16.5 million paper tickets were ordered from 7 specialised printers to supply the 60,000 accredited IATA travel agents in 162 markets around the world until 31 May 2008. From 1 June 2008, 100% of tickets issued through the IATA Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) will be electronic.

“This is ‘last call’ for paper tickets,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “It’s been 38 months since we launched the drive for 100% e-ticketing as part of IATA’s Simplifying the Business initiative. E-ticketing went from 16% in June 2004 to 84% today. And in just 278 more days the paper ticket will become a collector’s item.”

IATA’s settlement systems issue over 400 million tickets annually. With the volume of paper tickets now at 16% of the total and an approaching deadline for the elimination of paper, the final order of tickets was made. The order volume of 16.5 million took into account an estimate of current paper ticket stocks and estimated demand in order to ensure a robust supply of tickets to meet demand. Upon fulfilment of the final order, suppliers will decommission their ticket printing operations for IATA.

“We are changing an industry with tangible benefits for travellers, agents, airlines and the environment,” said Bisignani. “Consumers enjoy the convenience and flexibility of paperless travel. Agents have the opportunity to broaden the scope of their business and serve their customers remotely. The cost saving of US$9 for every e-ticket compared to a paper ticket adds up to US$3 billion in annual savings for the industry. And eliminating paper will save the equivalent of 50,000 mature trees each year. E-ticketing is a winning proposition for everyone.”

Yes, save THEM trees and money, but when you have to print out your own ticket, its on an A4! they can get at least 4 tickets to an A4 paper.
if there is four of you flying, that four times as much paper (even more if you have to print out the rest of the junk that goes with the booking)

 

[disneyholic family]

Yes, save THEM trees and money, but when you have to print out your own ticket, its on an A4! they can get at least 4 tickets to an A4 paper.
if there is four of you flying, that four times as much paper (even more if you have to print out the rest of the junk that goes with the booking)

so very true - i always end up with one extra page with just one line on it ....what a waste....

too bad about this....i always loved it at delta in JFK when changing planes, they have a separate line for the few of us with paper tickets....the e-ticket line is a million miles long, while the paper ticket line has one or two.....and we also get to deal with real live human beings when we check in, instead of those infernal electronic kiosks that i can barely read even with my glasses on....

 

[lorapinky]

Part of my job is to book flights etc for the director of the company and all his flights have been e-tickets for the last 2 years (could be more but i've only worked here for 2 years).

I thought it was really strange at first but now i'm used to it.

I have to print of loads though so it doens't save on paper.

Our tickets for WDW are e-tickets this year.

 

[wayneg]

I have not had a ticket for a few years now.
Last twice I have printed my own A4 boarding passes, Easter I arrived at Manch for them to tear them up because machine for own passes was not working, then this trip we got there for them to tear them up beacuse she thought print was too near edge of paper. So wasted 6 xA4 full of ink just for them to reprint. Why do I bother?

 

[wideeyes]

I was surprised when Virgin Holidays sent separate tickets for everyone, I was just excepting 1 piece of paper with everyones name on.

On our last flight with another Airline in June we did not even get sent a e.ticket we just needed the booking confirmation number.

 

[natalielongstaff]

thanks for the info....its not surprising