E Tickets And Travel Documents
By Artemeis
@artemeis (4189)
China
February 5, 2013 3:35pm CST
I just received the passports for my entire family to let us travel to Phuket Island, Thailand on February 10th via our local EMS delivery. The children were just as excited as me to the extent that we are hoping that tomorrow is the date of our flight.
However, I have to admit that this trip is slightly less stressful than our other past trips because our trip's air tickets are E-tickets (electronic ticket) which is relatively a better improvement from its predecessor - paper ticket. Electronic tickets though may be containing the same information of the ticket holder are much more secure, flexible, cheap and most of all, convenient. Also, it provides the standard assurances of the traditional paper ticket, such as seating choice, travel time options and other flexibilities.
One of the thing I like most about this new electronic ticket will have to be that e-tickets are impossible to "lose" because they reside in the airline computers' database network. For this reason, they are hard to steal, as well. Passengers like me can typically print out copies of their e-ticket, including confirmation e-mails, itineraries and other documents. All those documents can be replaced by retrieving them out of the computer again. Travelers will simply need their actual proper identifications like our international passports to effect check-in at the airport to commence our trips. Whereas, in the case of the old paper tickets, passengers who lost or even forgot them, might find themselves being charged a service plus administration fees for the airline to issue new ones. In most cases, passengers were required to purchase a new ticket at current prices and claim refund for the lost ticket. So, E-tickets offer a distinct advantage in this area.
What are your views about this new kind of air ticket? Which would you choose?
2 people like this
5 responses
@sishy7 (27166)
• Australia
6 Feb 13
Some airlines I took even have web check-in where we can actually do pre check-in through the internet up to 24 hours before the airport check-in counters open. At the airport, there will be a special queuing line for web check-in which is a lot shorter and faster than the regular check-in line. At the airport, we basically just have to check in our luggages and other paperworks are sorted out through the web check-in already.
2 people like this
@artemeis (4189)
• China
7 Feb 13
I believe most of the reputable international airlines (full fare) already have this advance check in facility for no check in baggage passengers. I think it started when the airlines introduced boarding pass like air tickets which could be used with their kiosk stations located in the airport terminals to allow passengers without check in luggage to check in without having to queue with the rest at the check in counter which can be very long during peak hours and seasons.
One thing I do like is some airlines' downtown check in facility which I had the privilege of using while the family was holidaying in London, UK. What it does is that we can simply check in our luggage and secure our boarding pass 24 hours before the flight departure at their downtown office. In this way, we will simply have our carry-on and proceed straight to immigrations and security without having to go through a horrendous and exhaustive experience of a super busy and overcrowded airport terminal like Heathrow Airport (UK).
1 person likes this
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
6 Feb 13
In the United States, we no longer have paper tickets for airline travel. Everything is online. We can not print out our ticket until 24 hours or less before day and time of travel. I do not have a printer but my manager allows me to send my ticket to her printer and she will print it out for me. We can also print out our ticket at the airport. Now that I have the hang of it, I like the newer method.
Amtrak, our national rail service, still uses paper tickets but is changing over to online only.
I also have an iPad so I have my reservations and confirmations on my iPad. Technology is great if you can afford it and have access to it and everything is up and running.
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4189)
• China
7 Feb 13
On technology, I believe some airlines have their own smartphone apps to help their customers with various flight information and reminders for their booked trips.
One thing I like about these e tickets is that they can never be lost and the airlines will constantly have all my particulars whenever I come into contact with them. Gone are the days where I have to repeat my preferences or original special requests and it is a nice feeling to have when the check in staff assures me that my seat is allotted according to my request and that my other special request is waiting to be met on board. In the past, the counter staff would simply stare at you blankly, hand you that boarding pass and cannot wait to send you away into their aircraft.
I suppose the convenience brought about by this streamlined system has given them that little bit of time to improve on their customer service.
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
6 Feb 13
It seems that the E-tickets are much more popular than before. However, I haven't tried to use it yet. I am still very old fashioned in this aspect. I am afraid whether the E-tickets will cause me any troubles to get on board. So I always prefer to take the traditional paper airplane ticket. I feel relaxed to have it in my hand.
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4189)
• China
7 Feb 13
I understand you and like you I need to get a little use to, too. However, once you have the first experience the rest is really easy.
In the past, I have had to take a lot trouble to pick up the air tickets or pay a lot extra for them to be couriered to me. Now, I just print it with my home's inkjet printer that is connected to my home computer. Even when I deal with the travel agent, I will just need to make a call to the airlines and I would be able to secure my flight details and e ticket particulars.
To me, paper tickets are quite inconvenient when it gets lost or damaged which is as same as lost. You need to replace it and we have to pay extra and sometimes could cost us the price of a new ticket. There will be a refund on the lost or damaged ticket but we need to wait at least 3 months before we can receive the money.
We need to know where to look and where to check to ensure that there's no mistakes and that our tickets needed to travel are being ticketed within the time limit. After that, everything is easy and smooth. Some airlines have apps to remind us to reconfirm our onward flight and to travel too. So, paper tickets are really not relevant today.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
5 Feb 13
When my husband and I went to Asia we used electronic tickets for the first time. When we had bought our tickets we printed the itineraries and the ticket numbers and we used those documents and our passports when we had to check in. I really like E-tickets. I think that they make travelling a lot easier. When we use E-tickets we don't have to worry about losing the tickets, because our names are registered in the computer and if we lose the documents that we have printed from the internet we can simply find a computer with internet access and print them again. In the past when I used paper tickets I was afraid of losing my ticket during my trip and I think that it is a relief that I don't have to worry about that when I use E-tickets.
1 person likes this
@artemeis (4189)
• China
7 Feb 13
After much learning, I just feel that electronic tickets actually makes sense against paper tickets which is simply an additional burden for the airlines or travel agents to issue them and travelers to carry them.
In this digital age, I think this implementation has brought both convenience and most of all, making it environmentally friendlier with lesser demand on paper used for the conventional paper tickets. Also, it makes sense since the reservations has been conducted and completed online digitally the rest will simply need a reference and authentication to facilitate travel.
One thing I do notice about electronic ticket is that our reservations could be recalled anytime and anywhere by both the airlines, traveler and a legitimate travel agent. Such accessibility are not possible in the past and it saves me a load of time repeating my special adhoc requests like seating preferences, child menu or my frequent flier numbers. Since then, airlines check in have never missed out on my requests which usually happened in the past.
@lelin1123 (15594)
• Puerto Rico
5 Feb 13
I have been traveling alot in the past ten years and that is the only way I travel using E-tickets. Its so much easier then having the paper tickets. You can print the E-ticket from home to save time at the airport. Or if you wish you can print them at the Kiosk machines at the airport. I rather do it from home in case there is a long line at the airport. For me its the only way to travel. Hope you and your family have a wonderful safe trip. 1 person likes this
@artemeis (4189)
• China
7 Feb 13
I do agree with you totally on the convenience and like I have said above, I do notice that the airlines operations have become more streamlined to a stage that they are more effectively attentive. With these e tickets, airlines will need to see our reservations constantly at every department to handle passage and I do appreciate it when it shows up at check in because that is where our requests for seating preferences and meals are being given to us.
Before, I have had the experience of fumbling for the tickets at check in and in one instance left behind in the hotel of my stay. Then, there were times where I forgot to bring it along to the ticket office to make changes on my travel dates which is really a nightmare with those special economy class airfares. Now, everything can be done on the phone or online depending on our initial original reservation medium. So e ticket really make a lot of sense and the creator should get a Nobel Prize too.
