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International - June 2008
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Are paper tickets a thing of the past?
Despite a promise by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to achieve "100 percent electronic ticketing compliance," approximately two percent of air tickets issued by U.S. travel agents are still being processed as paper tickets. Some low-cost carriers won’t issue any other kind. But despite extra fees, some travelers insist on paper even when the ticket can be issued electronically.
The original deadline of December 31, 2007 set by the IATA to go paperless was postponed until June 1, 2008. As of this date, paper tickets will no longer be distributed to ticketing agencies across the globe with the exception of the United States, where agencies use a different ticketing system and airlines will remain free to print their own paper tickets.
There is still some skepticism that Russia and some African and Mideast countries will not be ready by the June 1 deadline; therefore, if you are holding a paper ticket, it will still be accepted.
Even though the IATA says it costs up to 10 times as much to process an e-ticket, for the foreseeable future, airline ticketing by U.S. travel agencies will continue to provide travelers the option to issue paper tickets.
Here are some situations in which you'll find paper tickets and some in which you may want one:
Multi-airline trips: Some itineraries "are so complex that they don’t fit into the system for e-ticket interlining," which allows a single ticket to be issued for flights on different airlines.
Exotic destinations: E-ticketing hasn’t yet penetrated some parts of the globe.
Flight interruptions: When an airline cancels or delays your flight, it may agree to put you on another carrier free of charge. Some travelers find that this process is easier with a paper ticket.
Computer problems: While not common, they do sometimes happen. You should always carry a printout of your receipt or itinerary when you travel on an e-ticket so you have tangible documentation of your reservation.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune
