Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air Phase Out Paper Tickets In Favor of Cost Savings, Improved Customer Experience

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air today discontinued issuance of paper airline tickets, a move that will streamline ticket distribution systems, reduce costs and ultimately improve the travel...

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air today discontinued issuance of paper airline tickets, a move that will streamline ticket distribution systems, reduce costs and ultimately improve the travel experience.

Starting today, all tickets for travel on Alaska and Horizon, including interline travel originating on other carriers, will be issued as electronic tickets. Both airlines will continue to accept existing paper tickets through Sept. 14, 2006.

"Transitioning to an environment where every ticket is an e-ticket has significant advantages, both for travelers and airlines," said Gregg Saretsky, Alaska’s executive vice president of marketing and planning. Saretsky noted that the elimination of paper tickets will reduce costs associated with document distribution, redundant accounting, paper-ticket fraud and handling of lost and stolen tickets. "By cutting inefficiencies associated with paper tickets, Alaska and Horizon will be able to provide even better service for our passengers’ travel dollar," he said.

Most of the world’s airlines have committed to eliminating paper tickets by 2007 through an initiative organized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association representing the vast majority of the world’s air carriers. IATA estimates the industry can save $3 billion annually in direct costs by eliminating paper tickets.

"While the transition is a business-driven decision, it’s important to understand the many benefits of e-tickets directly enjoyed by customers," said Ray Prentice, Alaska’s customer care manager. "For travelers, e-tickets spell convenience, which is why they have received widespread customer acceptance since our airlines began offering them in 1995."

More than 95 percent of Alaska and Horizon customers currently use e-tickets. Using an e-ticket allows passengers to avoid airport lines by checking in for their flight online or at one of Alaska and Horizon’s self-service kiosks located at airports and other convenient on-site locations. In addition, e-tickets cannot be lost or stolen because travelers can access proof of the purchase anytime using the electronic confirmation code rather than relying on paper records.

Alaska and Horizon have a long track record of using innovation to improve the travel experience. In 1995, Alaska and Horizon were the first domestic carriers to sell airline tickets over the Internet. And in 1999, they were the first airlines to offer Internet check-in.

Customers with questions about the use of existing paper tickets or the transition to e-tickets may call Alaska Airlines at 1-800-252-7522 or Horizon Air at 1-800-547-9308.

Alaska and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve more than 80 cities in Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom on the Internet at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com/ .

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines

CONTACT: Caroline Boren, +1-206-392-5799, or Amanda Tobin,
+1-206-392-5134, both of Alaska Airlines