Can someone explain to me why paper tickets have to be used on some flights? Last year I called an airline for a flight to Italy. I needed to get paper tickets sent to me overnight via Fedex. Why do paper tickets still exist?

I would guess that because not airlines offer reciprocity with their electronic ticketing systems.

Not all airline computers talk to each other so if you are on a multi-airline ticket with airlines that don't communicate electronically, a paper ticket is a must.

Why is it with a paper ticket, they issue you a boarding pass but you still must give your paper ticket to the GA? Why don't they take it at check-in? A boarding pass should be just that - your pass to board the airplane.

I have never figured this out....Thanks for any insight into this ticketing mystery.

You don't want them taking your ticket at check-in.

If something goes wrong - e.g. the flight is canceled, you want to change to a different flight, etc. - then you want to have the ticket in hand for that. If they take your ticket at check-in but then you need to make a change, you'll have to go all the way back to ticketing, wait in line, then hope that they can find your ticket again. Better to have them take it at the absolute last minute.

Also, paper tickets are equivalent to cash. Boarding passes for electronic tickets automatically move the money to pay for your travel in the computer system. On flights where you have paper tickets, the boarding pass is worthless. Gate agents want to collect the ticket from you directly so that they can ensure that the airline gets paid for your travel. Eventually the airline actually has to present that paper ticket to the clearinghouse to get paid.

Thank you, Doppy. Mystery solved. I hope the day will come that all these airlines can play together nicely and I can get an e-ticket to any destination.

Poor IT technology.

I recently booked a Delta flight from SYR to CZM and was told I needed a paper ticket. Yet, when I fly Delta from SYR to GDL it's all electronic. All legs of both trips are on Delta, both are to Mexico. Wierd

IATA has issued a mandate that all carriers become 100 per cent E Ticketable by 31 December 2007, at which point the paper ticket will be phased out.

Of course, whether that will be achieved or not is another matter...

Sometimes the problem lies with the airport, I think. For example, British Airways flights from Luxembourg to gatwick are not e ticketable. In your case it's maybe a problem with the IT infrastructure at CZM?

and/or with the local handling agent, using the IT infrastructure - or not.

edited to add: did you ever try to sticker an electronic ticket? sometimes its helpful just to get a sticker on the paper ticket - preventing agents to look to deeply in you 14 segment mileage run you just bought without fuel surcharges at some place ...

To answer the OP's question: Paper tickets exist to make my life more complicated than need be (just try getting one changed; in many places it still involves a hand written sticker at a local airline office)!

Suspect flight to CZM is a codeshare on someone else's metal. They may be unable to do electronic ticketing.

Could be, I guess, although there's no mention of this on the ticket. I'm flying SYR-ATL-CZM. Does anyone else fly this itinerary, or at least ATL-CZM?

As far as I can tell, the only carrier ATL - CZM is Delta; they codeshare with AM, but it seems to be on DL metal.