[QUOTE=wideman;10188281]I agree with you the e-tickets do not yet work well for RTW's: too many different, not-very-compatible, systems in play.

UA/EK RTW E-ticket

WHY I HATE E-TICKETS:

Last month I was boarding an EK flight in DXB bound for MRU.

The boarding process was a disaster as is Usual in DXB. We were flying first class so I waited with my wife to board last.

My wife boarded no problem, but the gate agent demanded a paper ticket for that segment from me. My wife and I were transiting DXB from LHR and we had our boarding passes and at LHR they recognized we were on E-tickets. However in DBX EK said they needed a paper ticket. I showed the agent my e-ticket receipt from UA but he said EK had my ticket listed as Paper. He still would not let me board. Stalemate.

I produced my documents and calmly took a seat in the boarding area. I diplomatically informed the agent that if I was not allowed to board EK was obliged to off load my luggage immediately. I also insisted they do so.

It was now 10 minutes past departure. (If push came to shove I could fly to My final destination: JNB in a few hours and bypass MRU and get an extra day in South Africa. (And get a refund on my SA MRU-JNB J ticket)

Checkmate. As usual there in no one in a decision making capacity working at EK DXB. My wife ran off the airplane with a flight attendant in hot pursuit trying to calm her. My wife was frantic. ( I guess she thought I was going to an Arab jail for using cheap RTW tickets.)

Finally I calmly but firmly directed the agent to "UNLOAD OUR BAGS IMMEDIATELY! Your rules state If I am not on board my bags cannot fly!!" ( I just made that up, In UAE I do not know what the rules are....)

Finally the agent let me board and to "kindly clear up the problem in the morning with reservations"


It would have taken time to find our bags that were routed SFO-DXB-MRU, and the flight was full and late as usual.

This entire problem would have been averted if I had the paper ticket in my hot, sweaty, hand.

I was on the edge of rage however, I knew that a little graceful diplomacy and respect for the agent would get me on the airplane. Also rage might end me up in a Arab Jail.

I do not trust airline computer systems to interface with other airline systems. In this case was I was allowed to board, However a infrequent flier may have been stranded in DXB waiting for UA London to open many hours latter to resolve EK's screw up on the record and they might be days behind on their journey.