11 August 2003MADRID - Aer Lingus is introducing electronic ticketing,
using Amadeus technology for the management and
distribution of e-tickets.
Aer Lingus has implemented Amadeus Electronic Ticket
Server (ETS), with links to global distribution systems for
travel agency distribution; to user airlines' own sales and
reservation offices for direct sales; and to airline
alliance partners for interlining purposes.
In future Aer Lingus' passengers will also be able to
use the same e-ticket for their whole trip even when part
of their journey involves a flight on another airline. Aer
Lingus will be able to offer them this option through ETS'
interlining capacity, which enables the seamless exchange
of e-ticket coupons between a user airline and appointed
partner airlines.
Aer Lingus' oneworld alliance partners, British Airways,
Qantas, Finnair and Lanchile already use ETS for their
e-ticketing needs Aer Lingus aims to fully support
e-ticketing in its key markets by the end of the year.
Galileo travel agents in Ireland will start issuing
e-tickets for travel on Aer Lingus in mid-August, after
which the service will be extended to the UK. Roll-out in
the US and rest of Western Europe will follow by the end of
the year when an approximate 30 percent of tickets issued
by the airline will be electronic.