Airline Ticketing — Concept, Meaning, Types, e-Ticketing & What Every Ticket Contains
Airline Ticketing — Concept, Meaning, Types, e-Ticketing & What Every Ticket Contains
An airline ticket is much more than a piece of paper. It is a legally binding contract between the passenger and the airline — confirming a reserved seat, specifying conditions of travel, and encoding everything from fare basis to baggage allowance in a standardised global format.
An airline ticket is a document issued by an airline or travel agency confirming that a seat has been purchased on a particular flight. It provides the assured seat in a specific aircraft to the passenger and helps obtain a boarding pass at the airline counter at the airport. Without the boarding pass (obtained at check-in using the ticket), the passenger cannot board the aircraft.
On 1 June 2008, IATA announced that all IATA-member airlines would no longer issue paper tickets. The shift to electronic ticketing (e-tickets) was complete — transforming how billions of passengers travel.
Computer Age (1990s): Automated Coupon Tickets issued through GDS and CRS systems. Still paper-based but standardised and computer-generated. Faster and more accurate.
e-Ticket Era (2000s-present): Electronic ticket stored in airline’s database. No physical paper needed. Passenger receives confirmation email/SMS. Boarding pass issued at airport check-in counter or mobile app. IATA mandated all airlines move to 100% e-ticketing from 1 June 2008.
✓ Cannot be dispatched to wrong address
✓ Low cost to issue — no printing costs
✓ Instant delivery via SMS and email
✓ Easy to modify, cancel, and reissue
✓ Environmentally friendly
✓ Accessible on mobile phone anywhere in the world
✓ Integrates with boarding pass systems for seamless travel
✓ Can be endorsed for travel on another airline without physical exchange
A ticket purchased for one airline should be used on that airline. To use with another airline (standby or confirmed seat on same destination), the ticket must be endorsed by the original airline — which may involve additional charges. Refundable vs Non-refundable: Low cost airline tickets are generally non-refundable with hand baggage only restrictions.
◆ Three types: e-Ticket (electronic), Automated Coupon Ticket, Manual/Traditional
◆ IATA mandate: all IATA member airlines to stop paper tickets from 1 June 2008
◆ Ticket contents: Passenger name, airline, ticket number, origin-destination, flight code, date-time, class, fare basis, fare breakdown, baggage allowance, change/refund rules, payment mode, validity, exchange rate
◆ IATA codes on ticket: Airlines = 2-letter · Airports = 3-letter
◆ Fare basis code = alpha/numeric code encoding fare rules and restrictions
◆ Endorsement = authorisation to use ticket on another airline
◆ Refundable vs Non-refundable: LCC tickets generally non-refundable
◆ BSP = IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan — manages agent-airline financial settlement