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The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism E-Tickets Contributors: Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi Edited by: Linda L. Lowry Book Title: The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism Chapter Title: "E-Tickets" Pub. Date: 2017 Access Date: July 13, 2017 Publishing Company: SAGE Publications, Inc City: Thousand Oaks Print ISBN: 9781483368948 Online ISBN: 9781483368924 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483368924.n168 Print page: 445 ©2017 SAGE Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This PDF has been generated from SAGE Knowledge. Please note that the pagination of the online version will vary from the pagination of the print book. SAGE SAGE Reference Contact SAGE Publications at http://www.sagepub.com. An e-ticket, also known as ticket on departure (TOD), virtual ticket, or electronic ticket, is a digital document that is used in place of a paper ticket for a train, bus, cruise ship, or airplane. In e-ticketing, computer software saves the record of the passenger’s reservation, including information such as travel class; seat assignment; date and place of the flight, train, bus, or cruise; and gender and age of the traveler. When the tickets are booked, they are available for collection at any time. E-tickets save the traveler from the worry of losing or forgetting the tickets as the passenger just needs the booking reference number and names of the assigned passengers to locate and receive them. E-ticketing reduces the amount of time needed to book tickets. It can also make the travel experience easier when the booking and ticket record information is saved electronically. Travelers need not wait for tickets to arrive by mail but instead can instantly receive e-tickets in their email. Joel R. Goheen is said to have initiated e-tickets in the airline industry in 1994. E-tickets were used by United Airlines that year. In June 2008, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) made it mandatory for associate members to replace multilayered paper ticketing systems. E-tickets are less liable to be stolen than paper tickets. It is estimated that the airline industry would save $3 billion per year if only e-tickets were used. E-tickets are greener too; the IATA says that 50,000 tress would be saved per year if only e-tickets were used. Instant confirmation of flight availability when using e-ticketing systems eliminates unnecessary interaction between an airline’s reservations department and passengers. The customer is simply required to have a secured e-mail address, website registration, and a credit card, debit card, or Internet banking facility. However, there is one limitation with e- ticketing. Like any software-based application, it is also liable to technical glitches. Service providers need to provide regular maintenance and have vigilant oversight to stop fraud and other criminal behavior. When an airplane ticket is confirmed, the airline maintains the record of the reservation in its booking software systems. The reservation or e-ticket number on the itinerary receipt helps the airline to locate it in its records. Besides indicating the itinerary information, an e-ticket also shows the airline’s three-digit ticketing code, a six-digit serial number, and a four-digit form number; the fare and tax details; terms and conditions of the airline; form of payment; baggage allowance; a summary of fare restrictions; and details of the issuing agency. The passengers checking in for a flight with an e-ticket generally go to the check-in counter. There they are supposed to produce a personal identification document, a Permanent Account Number (PAN), a credit card, or a passport. However, it is required to produce a printout of the itinerary receipt to enter the terminal of some airports. The check-in counter issues a boarding pass to the passengers. For train travel, e-ticketing can include booking online train tickets for long-distance travel along with tickets for associated services such as car rental, tour packages, tourist trains, and hotel reservations. In India, there are two options for electronic booking: e-tickets and i-tickets. The i-ticket is purchased online but delivered to the passenger by regular mail. The e-ticket is saved on the passenger’s computer, and the passenger can print it out or simply display the text message acknowledging the purchase in order to board the train. Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi Page 2 of 3 The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism SAGE SAGE Reference Contact SAGE Publications at http://www.sagepub.com. See alsoComputerized Reservation Systems; E-Tourism; Virtual Reality Tourism Further Readings International Air Transport Association. (n.d.). E-Ticketing. Retrieved from http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/stb/pages/e-ticketing.aspx airlines passengers air travel travelers flight airplanes receipts Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483368924.n168 10.4135/9781483368924.n168 Page 3 of 3 The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism