As reported here and on other forums IATA is pushing for 100% etickets from 1 June 2008. Already this has resulted in some changes, such as a reduction from 24 to 16 segments on *A RTWs (and yet the price went up
)
As predicted there are some cases where etickets are not supported. Air NZ advises to allow a minimum of 5 working days to issue paper tickets from 1 June 2008. Too bad if you have an urgent trip somewhere that isn't eticketable
Any paper tickets issued before 31 May 2008 will continue to be accepted, however if they need to be reissued from 1 June 2008 and travel has not commenced they will be replaced with an eticket. If they need to be reissued from 1 June 2008 and travel has commenced, they will be reissued as a paper ticket (see above warning about notice period required).
Paper tickets will still be required after 1 June 2008 for:
- tickets with more than 16 segments (including surface segments)
- tickets with open-dated segments
- reissue of a paper ticket where travel has already commenced
- any ticket that includes one or more of the following airlines (as operating or codeshare carrier) Aeroflot, Air Fiji, Air Rarotonga, Frontier Airlines, Garuda, Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express, Skywest, Royal Brunei, Jetstar, Jet Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Eurostar
- NZ codeshare on Air Vanuatu (AKL-VLI vv)
- NZ codeshare on Air Rarotonga (RAR-AIT vv)
- any ticket that includes an infant AND one or more of the following airlines Aeroflot, Air Fiji, Air Rarotonga, Frontier Airlines, Garuda, Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express, Skywest, Royal Brunei, Jetstar, Jet Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Eurostar, American Airlines, Alaskan, EVA, Air China, Delta, Etihad, Air Pacific, Shanghai Airlines, Solomon Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Air Vanuatu, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic.
Apparently the 5 working day turnaround is because all paper ticket stock will be recalled. Agents will have to fill in a form requesting a paper ticket and one will be sent out to them.