PalenqueBob

IATA or whatever group regulating the world's airlines has announced that after May 31, 2008 there will be no more paper airline tickets issued - all will be E tickets. But tickets issued before 5/31/08 can be used for up to one year.

IATA says getting rid of paper tickets will save 50,000 trees - hoping to put a green spin on the move.

But others point out that with e-tickets folks often print out several pages of conditions, etc and make multiple copies of the info so that there is a huge increase in tree consumption

But serious questions arise from folks who just want to have a paper ticket with a plane number and seat number on it - who don't trust going to the airport and hoping their e ticket is really there.

Others point out countries like the U.K. who routinely ask suspect travelers to show proof of onward voyage before admitting them thru Customs - a copy of a e-ticket will be little actual proof.

Anyway - paper tickets have now gone the way of airline in-flight complimentary meals and prop planes.

fnarf999

I like e-tickets, but the line about saving trees is ridiculous. Printing out a typical email or print screen of an e-ticket is at least two sheets of letter paper, versus a few leaves of ticket-size paper. And I'll bet most passengers routinely print out several copies, if my officemates are anything to go by -- typically printing out ALL their "important" email.
They're using some of that good old "paperless office" rhetoric which has served us so well the past 40 years (the rhetoric, not the laughable idea of a paperless office) to paper over THEIR desire to stop paying for paper and ink.

They also save on postage and handling, which is a considerable cost to them. That's fine, but I will they'd lay off the "green" BS.

PalenqueBob

don't paper tickets cost $10-20 more because most airlines say save $10-20 by booking e-ticket online.

so though they do save S & H costs this could be off-set by the higher fee?

CRAZY4TRAVEL

Airlines will save in the long run because the special ticket stock that they have to purchase will no longer be required. They will no longer need to buy or service the clunky ticket printer that spit them out either.

The travel agencies are overcome with joy that they won't have the headaches of trying to get paper tickets back to reissue when there are changes to flights...either voluntary or schedule changes.

I for one am glad to see them go.

Lawchick

I'm happy - has anyone here ever lost a ticket? The hassle - the expense...how they can charge 40 euros or what ever for a replacement ticket was beyond me.

PalenqueBob

Yes and airlines also say that paper tickets are relatively easy to forge or alter so the e-system will help prevent that - or so they say

perhaps they underestimate computer geeks

tomassocroccante

I've been buying e-tickets for many years and I've learned to like them. A lot. No waiting for the ticket to arrive in the mail, or if a late purchase, via expensive FedEx. Not mailing is not merely a matter of postage (and envelope and other paper costs) but the added labor costs of assembling the out-bound mail, delivery, fuel costs associated with mail delivery, etc. If you had a product that the majority of people could receive remotely via email (information, confirmation #s) and then obtain on your premises later, would you maintain the expense of a mailing operation? I wouldn't.

I'll bet that persons buying a ticket in person will be given a "ticket" or facsimile (again conf. #) if they ask for it. I would wager anyone buying a ticket by phone will be able to request and receive a confirmation by mail. And at the airport you will still receive a paper boarding pass/voucher/ticket of some kind.

Saving trees, maybe not. Saving a good deal in now unnecessary labor and associated costs, you bet.

GSteed

My sister lost her copy of the E ticket! Fortunately I had made a copy of it. The system will need to be able to produce another on demand.

djkbooks

I like e-tickets because you can read all the fine print!

kerouac

Paper tickets were supposed to disappear on December 31, 2007, but IATA extended the deadline due to certain airlines that would not be ready by then. The two biggest airlines that are behind schedule are Aeroflot and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

J_Correa

I can't remember the last time I even had a paper ticket except when I made a change to my flights when I was already at the airport - finished up early on a work trip and caught an earlier flight home or something.

Wekiva

Speaking of E tickets. We recently were on vacation and I called my friend to "check" us in on our return flight to get good seats. He simply forgo the "print" option once he had our seats chosen. When we got there the next day we had to check in at main counter for luggage reasons and we were given real grief for not having our printed copy of the E-ticket. This seems hit and miss as many times when traveling for business I simply show up at the kiosk and away I go. Are we supposed to have the printed copy of the E-ticket as well as ID?

tcreath

I love etickets and am very happy they are doing away with paper tickets! I haven't had a paper ticket in ages with the exception of our BA flight to Croatia last year. For some reason we were issued paper ticekts.

Tracy

ms_go

It's about time! We have one last upcoming trip with paper tickets for an itinerary involving travel on three carriers--United, Lufthansa and Aegean--all of which issue e-tickets on their own and/or in certain combinations, but not, apparently, for the three together.

BTW, I always carry a copy of my e-ticket receipts...I've rarely had to show them, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. And, in a couple of cases I've needed the copy after the fact to claim mileage credit for travel on a partner airline.

tomassocroccante

Ten years ago or so I was doing a lot oftraveling, somewhere different every week. One morning I'm heading across town to the bridge on my way to the airport when I had to ask the driver to turn around: I had the next week's ticket in my bag, not the one I needed.

So at least that won't happen! But printing out the receipt, ticket, conf # etc is crucial so you will have your WRITTEN dates, times etc for reference. It's too easy for memory to intervene and mess it all up!

slangevar

I don't think I've had a paper ticket for about 7 years, and I don't miss it. I remember protecting that thing with my life as my sister and trained it through Europe.

Much easier now... on domestic flights, I just check in at home and don't even print out my ticket (though I do have a copy on my phone's email).

As for prop planes, ever flown to Montana? They still have them (much to the chagrin of my sister).

Odin

The cost saving is not just in the printing of a paper ticket, it is also in the administration that happens behind the scenes.

Occasionally people lose their paper ticket flight coupon between check-in and boarding, not realizing that there is a monetary value attached to the flight coupon. Somehow the boarding pass wallet containing the flight coupon become detached and lost mostly in duty free area. It is an expensive loss as sometimes a new ticket has to be purchased. At least that problem will go away.

For the folks who don't trust that an eticket will be issued, they can view their booking online and it will have a eticket number. I always print my itinerary mostly because I can't remember the return flight times/numbers especially if on vacation for couple weeks.