airBaltic completes introduction of e-Ticket

The Latvian national airline airBaltic completed the introduction of E-tickets last week. From now on, all passengers will be able to board their flights without a paper ticket, not only to direct destinations served by airBaltic, but also on an increasing number of connections.

Bertolt Flick, president and CEO of airBaltic: “The full introduction of E-tickets means that our passengers will not only be able to board all direct airBaltic flights without a paper ticket, but also to purchase an E-ticket from us for an increasing number of connections all around the world. The E-tickets are thought to save 50,000 trees around the world each year.”

E-tickets are valid for all airBaltic flights and destinations, the exception for the time being outbound flights from Odessa. E-tickets will be accepted there in the near future. As for connections, passengers can use their E-ticket on airBaltic flights and then on flights provided by other carriers. Many other airlines are starting to accept travellers without a paper ticket. This means additional convenience.

Only recently, if a passenger was travelling from Riga to Reykjavik via Copenhagen and bought the ticket on Airbaltic.com, a paper ticket for the flight from Copenhagen to Reykjavik still had to be collected at an airBaltic office. This is no longer necessary, and more of the same opportunities will become available soon. The E-ticket will become mandatory for all airlines after May 31 of this year.

The development of easy-to-use electronic tools for passengers has always been a major goal for airBaltic. Last year the airline introduced a Web-based check-in services which saves passengers time in that they can avoid airport queues. The Web can also be used to rent cars, book hotels and purchase travel insurance – all on the airline’s Web site. E-ticket is another example of this approach, aimed at enhancing the benefits which passengers enjoy.

In 2007, the monthly sales of tickets via Airbaltic.com reached almost 50% of total airBaltic ticket sales.