Gulf Air leads the way in electronic ticketing

With the inclusion of Amman and Damascus stations, more than 80 per cent of Gulf Air's network has been covered by e-ticket. Besides, the airline has so far successfully implemented Interline e-ticketing agreements with 26 international airlines, which is a significant development.

"Gulf Air is way ahead of others in implementing e-ticketing and IET," says Gulf Air Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales Mr. Lee Shave. "Though International Air Transport Association (IATA) has extended its deadline until May 2008 for 100% implementation of e-ticketing, Gulf Air is going ahead with its plan to complete it by the end of this year. We are also hoping to increase our IET tie-up to about 35 airlines by the same period."

E-ticket is by now the default method of issuing tickets for almost all airlines. It is a secure form of ticketing that makes passengers' travel plans less cumbersome and more efficient. The travel data is all stored electronically in the reservation system, which can be accessed at any time and never lost or stolen unlike paper tickets. Passengers can at any time print their e-ticket receipt from the Gulf Air Web site. In addition a passenger with an e-ticket can check in faster by just producing the e-ticket print out and an appropriate ID.

"Gulf Air's efforts to make travellers switch to e-ticketing paid off significantly with the airline witnessing three-fold increase in passengers going for e-tickets since April, after the levy of US$25/- for every paper ticket issued,"

says Gulf Air Head of Distribution and e-commerce," Mr. Lars Denlew.

"We are well above the market average in terms of passenger usage of e-ticketing all over the world. For instance, in the Philippines and Thailand our e-ticket issuance has gone up to over 97% while the market average is about 86.7% and 77.6% respectively. In Lebanon our e-ticketing usage is 93% while market average is 66%, and in the UK we are at 90.5% against the market average of 89.2. Also in a market like Qatar, the market that has the highest penetration of e-tickets in the Gulf, Gulf Air is now above the market average of 83% with more than 85% of all Gulf Air tickets being issued as e-tickets!" concludes Mr. Denlew.

To encourage more people adapt e-ticket culture, Gulf Air will further expand the surcharge of US$25 (for those still insisting on paper-tickets) in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Canada from 1 September, while it will be implemented in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and Nepal from 1 October.