The International Air Transport Association, which represents the majority of international airlines around the world, said yesterday it would move to 100 per cent electronic ticketing by the middle of next year and it had now placed its last order for paper tickets.
About 16.5 million paper tickets were ordered from seven specialised printers to supply the 60,000 accredited IATA travel agents in 162 markets around the world until May 31 next year.
All tickets issued through the IATA system from June 1 will be electronic, although a handful of non-IATA carriers, mainly in developing countries, have said they will continue using the old system.
“This is ‘last call’ for paper tickets,” said IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani. “And in just 278 more days, the paper ticket will become a collector’s item.”
E-ticketing accounts for 84per cent of all tickets, up from 16 per cent when IATA launched its push for 100 per cent e-ticketing 38 months ago.
IATA’s settlement systems issue more that 400 million tickets a year
By: cloud_9 - 28th August 2007 at 10:56
About time too…paper tickets are so like last century, and a benefit of e-tickets is that it is easier to check people in at the airport, thus reducing queues (hopefully!):D
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August 28, 2007 at 2:23 am