News

BRITISH Airways is urging e-ticket take-up before it becomes mandatory, as business agents make a plea for carriers to rethink the administration of fines for paper tickets.

From Thursday, travel agents who issue a paper ticket on an e-ticketable BA route will face a £25 agency debit memo.

The trade has welcomed the move towards e-tickets and reports good customer take-up. E-tickets cannot be lost or stolen, and there are no printing or postage costs.

But business agents say collecting the £25 fine through an ADM will create more paperwork and costs, because ADMs can take months to come through after the transaction.

When the ADM is issued, agents will have to pick up the booking and invoice the fine to the customer, as well as check it against the original booking.

BA says 77% of its itineraries are now e-ticketable but only 55% of its customers are currently using the service. The carrier is aiming for 100% worldwide e-tickets by December, with e-tickets on interline routes with American Airlines and Qantas starting next month.

BA head of UK sales and marketing Tiffany Hall warned agents could face significant fines if they do not change their ticketing practices.

MyTravel corporate travel arm Business Travel Management managing director Adam White - also chairman of the Guild of Business Travel Agents technology working party - said the GBTA is writing to airlines issuing e-tickets, including BA, asking them to look at the issue.

“Issuing the fine through an ADM is a quick fix which we believe is not appropriate. It’s another example where there needs to be more dialogue with organisations such as the GBTA.”

BA said it would not comment until it had received the letter.