Why did they send me paper tickets?
 

I just purchased my airfares ticket for Europe through Northwest airlines last week, and I received paper tickets in the mail today! I haven't used paper tickets in ages so I was a bit surprise simply because I dont like the burden of having to carry these two pieces of paper around ... anyone has any experience on this?

Have you used etickets domestically AND for international travel? I think paper tickets are required now for international travel.

Do me a favor. Look at the ticket and see if it says anything about passport expiration. If so, what country are you flying in to?

It's not a random question. It stems from a thread from this week. Thanks! :-)

I did receive paper tickets when I travelled to Asia in Dec 2003. But I went to Europe last summer, and I don't remember carrying a paper ticket. I remember standing at the lobby in Schipol Airport only with my passport on my hand. This was just a question out of curiousity.

How odd. I flew NWA on my last trip, six legs of flying. I actually wanted paper tickets, and they told me it would cost $50 per leg to issue paper. Needless to say, the printed out email was plenty of paper for me. I hope they're not going to charge you like that.

I actually have only travelled with e-tickets in all of my domestic flights including my most recent trip to NYC and Jamaica (I guess this one is international). I usually just arrive at the airport, drop off my luggage and print a boarding pass.

We are traveling on American Airlines to Europe this summer and were also issued a book (literally) of paper tickets. We were not given the option of getting etickets.

Sometimes if your trip involves different carriers, it may not be possible for Northwest to issue an e-ticket.

Just traveled to Italy connecting through Germany on a ticket issued by USAirways, flying on Lufthansa (outbound) and United (return). Had paper tickets and was not offered the ticketless option.

Well I only have 2 connections each way, so I guess I didn't see a reason why they needed to issue me paper tickets. But I also wasnt given the e-tickets option.

When I was flying to St. Lucia via Jamaica, Jamaica required documentation (tickets) of flights in and out of the country.

That leads me to believe that some countries have similar requirements.

H2babe, does the ticket say anything about travel needs to complete with x days of passport expiration?

Recently I was given paper tickets because one leg of the flights was on Lufthansa. I was told they do not have etickets.

My ticket is at home, and I am at work right now :( So I will find out about the passport expiration date that you asked me about.

I booked my trip to Jamaica through Appletour, because I went for a friend's wedding, and she had everyone book from the same agency. This was probably why I didnt have any paper tickets, I just had a coupon from the tour company that states that I had a reservation for the whole package (airfares, all inclusive resort, and airport transfer).

h2babe, Northwest Airlines flights that are on Northwest metal are numbered 1-1999. Any flight numbers that don't fall between those numbers involve other carriers. E-tickets would be issued if it was just a matter of Northwest Airlink flights such as those operated by Mesaba or Pinnacle, but sometimes even with KLM segments I've seen paper tickets.

Flyboy, I just checked my flight information, and I will be flying on KLM cityhopper from Amsterdam to Berlin (my destination), and on MALEV Hungarian Airlines from Budapest (my final destination) to Amsterdam on my way back. This is probably why I didnt get an eticket option.

Exactly. ;)

You should be happy you have paper tickets. Here's a short tale: Friends came to Paris recently. John, a World War II veteran, fell in his rental apartment and fractured a hip. After surgery, he was to be flown home. Question: Could his wife take their passsports, tickets and baggage, and check in without John needing to wheel-chaired to the check-in counter. Answer from Air France: No, he had to be present at the counter because they had electronic tickets! If they had been paper, there would have been no problem.

Prior to this upcoming trip I've always received paper tickets. This time I have an e-ticket. I don't really feel like I'm going to Paris unless I have them in hand! :)

Starville, my ticket doesn't say anything about my travel that needs to complete with x days of passport expiration. It is non refundable though. But, why would I want it to be refundable anyways? ;;)

"But, why would I want it to be refundable anyways?"....in case your plans had to change and you couldn't go, that's why!

Thanks for checking, h2babe. We had a post earlier about traveling with a passport that was about to expire and in the varied responses one poster had a warning about expired passport printed right on the tickt. I didn't remember that from my ticket last year. I guess there are so many varibles - airline, country, etc. - there are no absolutes. :-)

Have a wonderful trip!