e-tickets will be the norm by 2007, says IATA

Passengers will soon be purchasing and printing tickets out from the comfort of their own home, as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is set to replace traditional ticketing methods with e-tickets.

Robey Lal, head of the IATA in India, has told the Business Standard website that there are a number of "compelling reasons" why more and more airlines will introduce e-tickets as standard.

These include the fact that electronic tickets are cheaper to produce, potentially saving travel firms up to $3 billion dollars.

The IATA is also to remove is paper ticket distribution service next year – a change that will further increase costs for regular tickets and therefore act as an incentive for airlines and tour operators to introduce electronic alternatives.

e-tickets have been highlighted as being useful for student travellers. The Student Travel website draws attention that their flexibility, which it states is particularly handy when people make last minute travel decisions.

The IATA is aiming to have 100 per cent e-ticketing coverage across the globe by 2007.

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