United to move to full electronic ticketing

29 July 2002

As United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) continues to leverage technology to better serve its customers, the company has announced that it will move to full electronic ticketing by the end of next year. United will stop issuing paper tickets within the United States by July 2003; the carrier plans to issue only electronic tickets for all eligible itineraries, at all locations - domestic and international - by January 2004.

Starting August 1, 2002, United will charge $20 for all customer-requested paper tickets issued by United channels in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (reservations, ticket offices, airports, Mileage Plus and united.com) for E-Ticket eligible itineraries. The fee will apply per printing transaction, either at the time of original ticket issuance by United or upon request to convert existing electronic tickets to paper. 

In conjunction with this initiative, United will continue implementation of interline E-Ticket functionality with those airlines meeting United's standards for E-Ticket transactions. United remains fully committed to its participation in Star Alliance and will work with Star carriers to implement E-Ticket capability as soon as possible. United currently has interline E-Ticket agreements with Air Canada, American, Continental, and Northwest Airlines, with more carriers to be announced in the near future. 

“We want our customers to have a simple, hassle-free experience at the airport. Electronic tickets, first developed by United in 1994, deliver that experience,” said Pete McDonald, senior vice president, Airport Operations. “As we continue to deploy technology designed to improve the customer experience at the airport, moving to a fully electronic environment allows our customers to take advantage of our state-of-the-art self check-in units.” 

United continues deployment of EasyCheck-in self-service units at major airports throughout the United States. EasyCheck-in units allow U.S. domestic E-ticket customers to perform a wide variety of transactions (with a Mileage Plus Premier member card or any major credit card for identification) without waiting in line at ticket counters or gates. Customers with more complex transactions continue to be serviced by our airport employees. 

EasyCheck-in allows customers to request or confirm an upgrade, have their boarding pass issued, print an E-ticket receipt, change seat assignments, enter their Mileage Plus number for travel credit, and even check bags at designated units. United is increasing the functionality of EasyCheck-in and adding the self-service units to more airports, so that customers will enjoy a faster airport experience. 

United has EasyCheck-in units at Chicago (O’Hare), New York (JFK), San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington (Dulles), Seattle, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and Aspen. United will be adding more locations throughout the U.S. and will soon introduce EasyCheck-in at select International locations.