Infant paper tickets - check in time
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MLB, MCO
Programs: Delta Plat, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,315
Infant paper tickets - check in time
I'm flying to Europe with my family next week and have one of the dreaded paper tickets for lap infants on international flights. I've never in my life used a paper ticket. Does anyone here have any experience with this? Is this something that's going to take hours at the SkyPriority check-in desk? If it's complicated, I expect however long it takes at MCO on the flight out will take twice as long at MUC on the flight home.
This seems like something that there would be info on, but search is failing me. I can't find anything newer than 2010 other than confirmation that infants still use paper tickets on international flights.
This seems like something that there would be info on, but search is failing me. I can't find anything newer than 2010 other than confirmation that infants still use paper tickets on international flights.
#2
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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The most recent thread I can think of involving this issue http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...tl-infant.html
#3
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As long as you already have the ticket you shouldn't have problems. Of course checkin will be at airport, can't checkin online with a paper ticket in the reservation.
The problem with delays at checkin come when one hasn't purchased and received a paper ticket before hand. A number of agents are no longer adept at issuing an actual paper ticket.
The problem with delays at checkin come when one hasn't purchased and received a paper ticket before hand. A number of agents are no longer adept at issuing an actual paper ticket.
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
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Posts: 6,362
Go to the library and start with the card catalog, the old ones with actual cards. Then you go through the stacks till you find the hardcopy of IATA regs and look rules on infant fares.
More importantly, do not lose that paper ticket. It has real value :-)
Welcome to the previous century :-)
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MLB, MCO
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Yep, I have the paper tickets in-hand. Since I had to book my open-jaw award ticket as two one-ways, the stupid baby tickets cost me way too much to lose them!
I'm glad they went away. I only bought these a few months ago. I must have been one of the last ones issued 1970's-style.
I'm glad they went away. I only bought these a few months ago. I must have been one of the last ones issued 1970's-style.
#8
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Yep, I have the paper tickets in-hand. Since I had to book my open-jaw award ticket as two one-ways, the stupid baby tickets cost me way too much to lose them!
I'm glad they went away. I only bought these a few months ago. I must have been one of the last ones issued 1970's-style.
I'm glad they went away. I only bought these a few months ago. I must have been one of the last ones issued 1970's-style.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MLB, MCO
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That was right around when I started flying regularly and I've never seen a paper ticket before this trip, although I do remember boarding passes being printed on the green ticket stock. All of my trips were domestic back then though.
#10
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PM, IHG Spire
Posts: 356
I got a paper ticket last year...
Hainan airlines PVG-SEA flight was delayed and I missed my SEA-ATL flight on Alaska airlines, rebooked by Alaska rep with Hainan rep help - my Alaska ticket had a "Flight Coupon required" status on it and I had to give them this handwritten copy of the paper ticket for the files.
Not Delta related, but yeah, paper tickets are so rare you really have to stretch...
Hainan airlines PVG-SEA flight was delayed and I missed my SEA-ATL flight on Alaska airlines, rebooked by Alaska rep with Hainan rep help - my Alaska ticket had a "Flight Coupon required" status on it and I had to give them this handwritten copy of the paper ticket for the files.
Not Delta related, but yeah, paper tickets are so rare you really have to stretch...
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: MSP
Posts: 184
Besides all the good advice here, I'd suggest you plan on getting to the airport 2 hours prior. We traveled 2x across the pond with an infant in arms over the last year and I can tell you, go early. The first time I received the paper ticket about a month before travel and kept it securely in the drawer of my home office because I knew it was important and was needed. Naturally in the rush to get to the airport, I left it securely in the desk at home. Luckily we had enough time for the agent to call whoever she needed to call and get a new one printed. Took about 20 minutes, but boy, were we glad we went early. So keeping the old Murphy's law in mind, "If s#*t can happen, it will", go early and be glad you did because it will happen when traveling with infants.
Then there's the ritual of changing diapers 5 minutes before boarding starts, feeding the baby as boarding starts, not finding the diaper bag and remembering that it was left in the changing room because I had poo on my hand (and on my mind) after changing the diaper, remembering that we forgot to pack the baby's spoon.....all the fun that goes with traveling with infants.
The year 2032 can't come soon enough.....
Anyhoo, good luck with your travels.
Then there's the ritual of changing diapers 5 minutes before boarding starts, feeding the baby as boarding starts, not finding the diaper bag and remembering that it was left in the changing room because I had poo on my hand (and on my mind) after changing the diaper, remembering that we forgot to pack the baby's spoon.....all the fun that goes with traveling with infants.
The year 2032 can't come soon enough.....
Anyhoo, good luck with your travels.
Last edited by zeebanker; Jul 29, 2016 at 11:16 am
#12
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Lucky on getting the paper ticket reissued. Most carriers will refuse to reissue a paper ticket unless you purchase another one. Sadly the paper ticket is as good as cash. Thus why airlines went to etickets that don't get lost. Those that do reissue without re-purchase normally require a major PITA process to get it done.
#13
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: MSP
Posts: 184
Lucky on getting the paper ticket reissued. Most carriers will refuse to reissue a paper ticket unless you purchase another one. Sadly the paper ticket is as good as cash. Thus why airlines went to etickets that don't get lost. Those that do reissue without re-purchase normally require a major PITA process to get it done.