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Last Call for Paper Airline Tickets

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

August 27, 2007, 2:39 PM

A global airline body has placed its last order for paper tickets, meaning that by June 1, 2008 the industry will complete the transition to an electronic system.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents approximately 240 airlines that operate all but 6 percent of the world's international flights. By ending paper ticketing, the airlines save $9 per passenger and 50,000 trees a year.

Currently, about 84 percent of those who travel on IATA flights use paperless ticketing. Other non-IATA carriers have already transitioned to paper-free ticket systems.

"This is 'last call' for paper tickets," Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said. "In just 278 more days, the paper ticket will become a collector's item." The company first launched its e-ticket initiative in early 2004.

It is not clear whether these savings will be passed on to the consumer. One of the first countries to go completely paperless will be China, as the body said it will have its system in place by the end of this year.

About 16.5 million paper tickets were ordered from 7 printers around the world. The body is confident that this number will be an ample supply to last through the deadline.

"We are changing an industry with tangible benefits for travelers, agents, airlines and the environment," Bisignani said. "E-ticketing is a winning proposition for everyone."

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By treworld

posted Aug 28, 2007 - 4:17 PM

Hold up. They're killing 50,000 trees a year to print airline tickets??? Lol. Is he talking from his a** or what? WTF! Where are they getting 50K of trees to kill every year???

Score: 0

By GS5

posted Aug 28, 2007 - 1:24 PM

Even with a paper ticket and confirmation number I was bumped of a flight once. All the b!tch behind the counter said was "I'm sorry sir, but your not in the computer". If she wasn't so frigging hot I would have strangled her. Now the airlines can screw you over without a paper trail.

Thank god I have own plane, I haven't had to set foot on a commercial flight since the end of august 2000.

Score: 0

By Galway

edited Aug 28, 2007 - 1:22 PM

I have used electronic tickets for ages, most airlines in the UK and Europe use them. It allows you to book anywhere and on-line, and you get an Eticket printout or on-line its emailed. You print this off with all your details and turn up at the airport. Your Eticket details still have to match your passport. You still get issued the boarding passes to get on the plane and means you never get lost tickets in the post or late when booking last minute. I find this arrangement allot better than using tickets ... Who wants tickets ?

What about computer problems ... What about them ?. You still have to check-in and get your boarding passes printed so its exactly the same system, all it means is that your Eticket details get verified and not your actual ticket.

As for saving tree's, this is not the case and is its being misinterpreted.

"By ending paper ticketing, the airlines save $9 per passenger and 50,000 trees a year."

The Airlines will save this amount, but it will be consumed elsewhere, most people will be paranoid and print at least two copies for a start. But at least the world will save on having tickets posted and hand delivered, providing agents don't post or hand deliver Etickets.

Score: 0

By shicaca

posted Aug 27, 2007 - 10:36 PM

My only concern is what the heck is going to happen for you going through the security checks? One of the checks the flights *I've* been on recently have been checking your name to your license.

Are these going to be on computers, now? What happens when this goes down? One of the times I went through security, the ?TSA?'s screens that say, "Security checkpoint." "Government blah blah blah" all were blanked out by either a BSOD or a windows red hard stop error. I hope they find a way to keep it a bit more reliable ... especially when that computer's function is SOLELY to say, "Hi, this is us", and yet it crashes!

As horrible an experience as it was to go through security, I hope this goes smoothly for them b/c it could be a multi-million $ mistake IMHO. ... God forbid you wear pants that are a size too small ... it could be a long wait for you :P

Score: 0

By mshulman

posted Aug 28, 2007 - 2:40 PM

I think the article may be a little confusing. I think they are doing away with paper TICKETS. NOT paper boarding passes.

Notice they mention e-ticketing - That's what I've been using for years now and probably most people here have been using too.

Score: 0

By methuselah

posted Aug 27, 2007 - 9:03 PM

Paper is being saved?

Granted I don't get the ticket with carbon(s) anymore. (btw, they WERE written by travel agents at one time.) But since every passenger must print out a full page in order to get their boarding pass in order to go through security and to get on the plane, I don't see the net savings in trees.

Having flown yesterday, I must say the convenience of flying has decreased dramatically, to the point that many people consider either not traveling, or using an alternate means of travel, usually driving their own car.

There is a tremendous savings in trees (paper) in driving your own car, as you don't have to print out a ticket. But I suspect there are other negative effects on the environment.

Score: 0

By mshulman

posted Aug 28, 2007 - 3:05 PM

It doesn't really matter anyway - there are specific tree farms grown specifically for paper use.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

edited Aug 27, 2007 - 3:44 PM

I have so many questions that weren't answered by this article.

What exactly is the ticketing that's being talked about?
Is it the actual ticket you produce at check-in to prove you've paid for your flight? The airline's ticketing for the passengers? The tickets that go on your bags? Or is it the boarding passes and stuff?

"By ending paper ticketing, the airlines save $9 per passenger and 50,000 trees a year."

How did it cost $9 per passenger? That seems rather dear for a single passenger.

"It is not clear whether these savings will be passed on to the consumer."

Why would it? They've had to pay to put in a new electronic system, and now pay to keep that running on electricity which is probably just as bad as using paper tickets in the first place. I'd be inclined to say it's probably *worse* for the environment.

I can't see it being much cheaper for the airlines, only easier.

Please feel free to put me wrong, but these are some genuine (and some probably thick) questions that I have after reading that article.

There is no need to flame this (you will be ignored). All sensible answers welcome.

Score: 0

By tazandpig

posted Aug 27, 2007 - 4:44 PM

But the paper tickets were already printed electronically, weren't they?

Every paper ticket I ever had was printed out on a wee dot matrix (the good old days, eh?) printer attached to a terminal.

Now, they'll just use the terminal without the printer, so there's a saving, surely?

As for any saving being passed on - yeah right, sure it will be. Not.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Aug 27, 2007 - 7:01 PM

"Now, they'll just use the terminal without the printer, so there's a saving, surely?"

*Pffft* No, nothing is ever that simple.

They'll set up some new electronic system to deal with the eTicketing. They like wasting money.

Good reasoning, sir.