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Old Apr 7, 2017 | 11:51 am
  #46  
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Location: Austin, TX
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Domestic US, just boarding passes. International - everything. Airline PNR from all airlines, hotel reservations, transfers, train reservations, everything. If I book BA on AA, I'll print out the reservation from both websites. I find it easier to give someone the printed word, especially when there's a language barrier. And the printouts have saved my bacon a few times, too.
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Old Apr 9, 2017 | 9:13 pm
  #47  
Used to be 'Scooter'
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I'm 100% digital these days. I like to know that I can still access my data if my bags are stolen or I'm robbed - all I need is an internet connection, which is everywhere these days.
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Old Apr 10, 2017 | 10:05 am
  #48  
haa
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I always print out on paper the key documents (flight and hotel bookings, etc) in addition to copying a full set of the docs/printouts to my phone and tablet as PDFs.

I've experienced many of the "easier to solve problems" mentioned by others already, additionally recently
  • Rental car reservation paper showing better model booked than they tried to give me
  • Rental car company not acknowledging prepaid fuel tank, quickly fixed by showing paper printout
  • Rental car (again, why are most travel troubles with rental cars?) trying to upsell me to the level I had already booked and paid for
  • Hotel claiming not prepaid, easy solution with hotels.com "already paid" booking printout
  • Hotel claiming breakfast not included, when it was
  • Paper boarding pass looks more convincing than something on my phone, when evicting seat poachers
  • Accessing fast track security with booking paper at LHR when transiting and not yet having boarding pass for the next flight, as the security is before the transfer desks.

... and frankly just to keep myself in sync on complex trips where I stay in different hotel every night and fly somewhere each day ;-) I just keep the papers in time order and check what's next...

Bonus opinion: Even when I check-in online and have the boarding pass on my phone, I often stop at the kiosk to get a paper boarding pass. It's just that little bit more convenient at the lounge, the gate and on the plane, and allows me to double check my exit row seat allocation or change to a better seat if available or if the plane has been changed (many European airlines/LCCs seem to allow more seat selection at airport than online check-in ;-)

So, even if I have everything electronically, I find that paper still rules, for many reasons. Takes just some seconds for each trip to print the key documents and it has saved quite a lot of time and trouble.

Last edited by haa; Apr 10, 2017 at 10:08 am Reason: typo fix, added LHR fast track experience
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Old Apr 10, 2017 | 8:14 pm
  #49  
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Couple of cases I had when printed document was essential to fix the problem:

- Hertz: twice in last year, at SJC and SFO. During drop off final bill shows 50% more than original reservation. One way SFO-SJC charges were included. After showing the printout from the corporate booking system, charges were removed.

- Hotel reservation at non-chain hotel in Asia. After arrival I was told that I have no reservation, showing printout and after couple of calls they 'found' it.

- Hotel reservation again, but this time trying to charge me for hotel stay which was already prepaid. This happened in Phuket, Thailand were scamming tourists is national sport. Again, after presenting printout from Expedia showing that reservation was paid, removed the demand.

I would not bother for paper printouts with hotel/airline reservations in US (assuming that phone is working and fully charged), but will always print and carry printouts for car and all travel related reservations outside of US.
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Old Apr 11, 2017 | 12:16 pm
  #50  
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Join Date: Apr 2008
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Originally Posted by SANspotter
I'm 100% digital these days. I like to know that I can still access my data if my bags are stolen or I'm robbed - all I need is an internet connection, which is everywhere these days.
Not in many parts of New Mexico or west Texas. ( & probably many other places).
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