Electronic ticket

An electronic ticket (commonly abbreviated as e-ticket) is a digital ticket. The term is most commonly associated with airline issued tickets. Electronic ticketing for urban or rail public transport is usually referred to as travel card or transit pass. It is also used in ticketing in the entertainment industry.

An electronic ticket system is a more efficient method of ticket entry, processing and marketing for companies in the railways, flight and other transport and entertainment industries.

Electronic ticketing in the airline industry was devised in about 1994. E-ticketing has largely replaced the older multi-layered paper ticketing systems, and since 1 June 2008, it has been mandatory for IATA members. Where paper tickets are still available, some airlines charge a fee for issuing paper tickets.

When a reservation is confirmed, the airline keeps a record of the booking in its computer reservations system. Customers can print out or are provided with a copy of their e-ticket itinerary receipt which contains the record locator or reservation number and the e-ticket number. It is possible to print multiple copies of an e-ticket itinerary receipt.

Besides providing itinerary details, an e-ticket itinerary receipt also contains:

To check in for a flight with an e-ticket, the passenger usually goes to the check-in counter in the usual manner. There they may be required to present some personal identification, a credit card or the e-ticket itinerary receipt. Theoretically it is not even necessary to present the e-ticket itinerary receipt document or quote the confirmation code or e-ticket number as the reservation is confirmed solely on the basis of the passenger's identity, which may be proven by a passport or the matching credit card. However, producing a print-out of the itinerary receipt is required to enter the terminal of some airports as well as to satisfy immigration regulations in most countries.

At the check-in counter, the passenger checks-in his/her luggage and receives a boarding pass. However, electronic ticketing allows various enhancements to checking-in.

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