Mrwayne From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 3002 times:
Are we now seeing the last of the real tickets for flights and being replaced with just a number?
I used to look forward to getting my tickets through the post a couple of weeks before my flight and looking at them and having so much excitement i was so happy.
But i do like the E ticket it is very handy.
Any thoughts.?
Flyboy36y From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3039 posts, RR: 8 Reply 1, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2979 times:
I used to like paper tickets for that same reason UNTILL I grew up and began having itineraries that looked like the one bellow. Paper tickets really slow things down at airports and make online check in unavailable. What used to be impossible is now doable. For example, if I have a 1 hr connection at ATL to DL from AA (no bags) I would not be able to make it unless I check in at home. This way I can run from one flight to the next and not have to leave security and wait in a line to check in....
Sat AEP-IGR
Sun IGR-AEP
Mon AEP-MDQ-AEP EZE-MIA
Tues MIA-JFK
Wed LGA-MCO
Thurs MCO-ATL-DHN
Fri DHN-ATL-MCO
Sat MCO-LGA
Jfernandez From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 301 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2964 times:
I would still like to see the airlines computers all being able to talk to each other, and computers in every airport before I want paper tickets gone. If you're in a jam or something, an e-ticket still causes some problems in some places.
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15904 posts, RR: 66 Reply 3, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 2923 times:
Jfernandez said:
I would still like to see the airlines computers all being able to talk to each other, and computers in every airport before I want paper tickets gone. If you're in a jam or something, an e-ticket still causes some problems in some places.
They do talk to each other through the Amadeus booking system.
E-tickets will definitely take over, but it will take more than a decade. It's easy to sit in Western Europe or North America and say this and that. But if you go to rural Thailand, they will issue you an old paper ticket with the old red lettering.
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
Flyboy36y From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3039 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 2846 times:
I got the red lettering on MOST of my domestic Argentina Flights. I also got the red lettering (flimsy ticket) on Aer Lingus in 2003 DUB-BRU-DUB
Av8rDAL From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 456 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 2815 times:
In December, I bought tix on LH to MUC for May of this year and was sent the genuine beige and green cardstock passenger receipt and boarding pass ensemble. I was rather surprised, keeping in mind that LH is one of the world's most renouned carriers.
I was also sent the email confirmation with my confirmation number, itinerary, etc that's usually sent as en e-ticket.
Maintain thine airspeed, lest the Earth rise up and smite thee.
COIAH99 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 251 posts, RR: 6 Reply 6, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 2794 times:
I agree with what some of you said above. I liked having the paper in my hand and seeing the itinerary listed. On the other hand I don't have to worry about, "Who has the tickets to my wife". Much more convenient on trips. Same goes for direct deposit with my paycheck. Used to like to have the money in hand, but now I don't have to go to the airport to pick up my check. A real inconvenience if it was your off day.
Kanebear From United States of America, joined May 2002, 953 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2649 times:
For simple itineraries I prefer E-tickets but for more complex routings I VASTLY prefer paper tickets. Reservations agents and CSRs are nothing if not error prone. When I'm halfway around the world the last thing I want is an argument because a change to my ticket was done improperly resulting in my being unable to travel. With a paper ticket, there's no ambiguity whatsoever. It's on the stock, it says OK, it's valid for travel, done. Also, some itineraries do not lend themselves to E-tickets at all. Imagine trying to do an RTW with all segments as OPEN on an e-ticket. It'd be a MESS!
I had proof positive of why I love paper recently. I wanted to do a reroute from GRU-MIA-LHR-FRA-DFW-GRU to GRU-MIA-LHR-MIA-DFW-GRU recently. It's a full fare J ticket and having purchased the latter routing I knew the fare difference should've been $400. AA happily changed the segments and then told me the add-collect would be $10,500!!!!! I had them queue the booking to the rates desk to find out what the hell happened and it turns out that I'm on a restricted J ticket that is only sold inside Brazil. Oops! Had I been on an E-ticket, I'd have had major problems since my original routing was cancelled. Thankfully due to the BA segment AA couldn't issue an Eticket and had sent paper. I simply told the agent to change the dates and reinstate the original routing and I was done.
Finally, there'll always be places that have unreliable or no link to the outside world. E-tickets can't work in that environment. Just as some places still use the manual credit card imprint machines and have no credit card terminals, paper tickets will always have a place.
Bullpitt From Spain, joined Mar 2004, 871 posts, RR: 9 Reply 9, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 2611 times:
Paper tkts will still be around for a while specially since not all airlines can provide E-tickets yet, but it wont be long before E-tickets account for the majority of tkts issued. One of the greatest advantages of E-tickets is that you can't loose them or have them stolen. If you think E-tickets can be a problem you should try to get a full Y or J class tks reissued when the flight you have is with an airline and the issuing airline is another, and has no office in that country.
These are my principles but if you don't like them I have others
Jhooper From United States of America, joined Dec 2001, 6195 posts, RR: 13 Reply 10, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 2513 times:
Do E-tickets actually save paper? It seems like E-tickets sometimes generate more paperwork than regular tickets do!
Last year 1,944 New Yorkers saw something and said something.
KKMolokai From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 760 posts, RR: 3 Reply 11, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 2486 times:
eTickets are great! They're a huge time saver. You also can't lose an eTicket, and therefore eliminate the "lost ticket" fee associated with paper tickets, in the event you lose them.
We are the people of American Airlines. And we know why you fly.
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12365 posts, RR: 12 Reply 12, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 2444 times:
Another thing in favor or e-tickets, for domestic US flights, is if you book on own on line or thorugh your employers agency especially at the last minute, you don't need a ticket.
Bullpitt From Spain, joined Mar 2004, 871 posts, RR: 9 Reply 14, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2400 times:
Hi Scbriml sorry to disagree with you but I doubt very much the information you have posted. Where did you hear this?. I can think of one situation were you need to issue paper tkts, for example. BA code shares flights with IB In those flights they can not issue ET. Not to mention a large percentage of paps who are willing to pay the extra money for a paper tkt if this option is removed I think they risk loosing many clients. ET are the go but it will still be a very long time before paper dies out.
These are my principles but if you don't like them I have others
Britair From United Kingdom, joined Aug 1999, 933 posts, RR: 17 Reply 15, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2363 times:
Scbriml is correct, British Airways is indeed mandating the use of eTickets. I have seen the business plan. From 1 April 2004, paper tickets will no longer be an option on eTicketable routes/itineraries. The plan is for interlineable eTickets among oneworld partners by 2005 and by the end of 2005 paper tickets are to be eliminated altogether. Technology is being enhanced that will mean there is no case ever that a BA issued ticket cannot be an eTicket. The rationale is simple, internal studies showed that it costs BA £12 to issue a paper ticket, whereas an eTicket record costs 50p. The end result is obvious. Of course I cannot substantiate these facts as they are for internal circulation only. Time will tell.
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