 China Southern Airlines: Totally E-ticketing For Domestic Flights |
| On December 28, China Southern announced it has realized totally e-ticketing on all its domestic flights by the end of November and will fulfill the same target on its international flights in 2007. |
| Hainan Airlines: E-tickets Through All Domestic Flights |
| Hainan Airlines first introduced e-ticket in June, 2004 and now e-tickets are being used for all Hainan Airlines domestic flights. |
| Shandong Airlines: Offer E-ticketing Throughout Its Network |
| By October, Shandong Airlines has offered e-ticketing service to all its 44 linking cities, involved 206 routes and 176 flights. |
| Lucky Air: Just Launched |
| Lucky Air started online sales of e-ticket on December 20, which is much more convenient, only bank card and internet access needed. |
| Okay Airways: First Private Airline Presenting E-ticketing |
| Okay Airways has started its BSP e-ticketing program on all its 6 routes since June, 2006 as the first private airline using e-ticketing in China.
|
 |
| Convenient |
| "Now with the e-ticket we can check in within a much shorter time, very convenient," said a professional tourist guide. |
|
| Troublesome |
| Too many limits troubled travelers: not able to change to other carriers' flights directly; travelers who take a baby must buy paper tickets; unable to correct ID number mistakes when check in, and the like.
|
| Not Used To It |
| Surveys show that in China only few travelers are able to use online bank correctly and even fewer are familiar with the procedures of online booking. Meanwhile, a lot people just do not trust the invisible e-ticket even when they have to use it. |
| Two months have passed since the overall application of e-ticketing in China and some defects of it are emerging, like the security problem of online payment, weakness which can be used for ticket class and fare fraud, incompatibility with China's present reimbursement system and so on, which are all hindering e-tickets popularization in China. |
 |
* On March, 2000, China Southern Airlines presented the first e-ticket in China.
* By 2004, the three state-owned airlines, Air China, China Southern and China Eastern, have all built up their own e-ticketing system. And in 2005, the three joined the BSP e-ticketing system respectively.
* Hainan Airlines began to use the first BSP e-ticket in China on September 1, 2004. China Eastern offered the first B2C e-ticket in late September, 2004.
* In September, 2006, Yoee Net sold the first e-ticket for Air China. In June, 2006, e-ticket invoice was presented as legal reimbursement document.
* In October 2006, Air china completely abandoned paper tickets entering e-ticket era. E-ticket penetration will finally reach 100 percent around all IATA members by December 31, 2007. |
|
[Editor's Notes] Different strategies led to operation diversities. Someone eyes on the resource of business travelers, someone is committed to offering cheap service and someone specializes in cargo.
However, the operation modes for private carriers in China are almost the same: a) online distribution b) raise aircraft utilization c) maintain less staff d) cut any unnecessary costs |
| Airlines: Cut Costs |
|
In China at least CNY 20 will be cut by processing an e-ticket against the traditional paper version, or CNY 1.6 billion would be cut, by last year's tickets sale number, at least 80 million. A large cake for airlines and agencies. In addition, e-ticketing enable airlines to book online over agencies, which would save carriers a big cost of commissions. |
| Agencies: Uncertain About Future |
| The direct touch between airlines and customers certainly will cut down agencies' business and reduce their profit margin. The appearance of e-ticket invoice is one step to form a regular agency market, which is expected to sweep off unqualified agencies. |
| Banks: Enjoy Other's Fruit |
| Banks providing online payment service are undoubtedly the lucky guys. No matter who, individual customers or ticket agencies, both have to pay banks service fees for online payment to airlines. |
 Related Highlights |
|
