E-ticketing for flights takes off


3 Apr 2008

Some 89 airlines serving Ireland now issue electronic tickets, according to e-ticketing specialist Amadeus.

Eight carriers have signed up for Amadeus’ e-ticketing technology since September 2007, the company revealed, taking the total of implemented carriers to 89 from a total of 104 carriers in the Irish market. Malaysia Airlines and Flybe are two of the companies that have signed up in recent months.

Some 150 airlines serving Ireland and the UK use Amadeus’ e-ticketing system. The company has enabled e-ticketing for 247 airlines in 146 markets, making it the world leader in this field.

The 2007 Airline IT Trends Survey, conducted by SITA with Airline Business magazine, forecast the proportion of ticket sales fulfilled as e-tickets by the end of 2007 would reach 86pc. Amadeus said 94pc of tickets issued in Ireland by Amadeus are now electronic.

“This is a significant milestone for travel agents and for their customers who benefit from a more streamlined airport experience, including the facility of self-service check-in where offered,” said Elaine Seeto, director of marketing for Amadeus UK & Ireland. “E-ticketing also enables agents to offer a paperless solution, resulting in a more environmentally-friendly operation.”

By Niall Byrne