American Airlines and Canadian Airlines today
became the first airlines to implement technology that allows the two carriers
to issue electronic tickets on each other.
 
The new service will give customers the added convenience of being able
to use electronic tickets when their itinerary includes travel on both
Canadian and American or on codeshared flights operated by either carrier.  It
will also allow customers to use electronic tickets issued by one carrier on
the other carrier without re-issuing a paper ticket.
 
Virtual Ticketing is rapidly becoming the preferred way to fly - during
the first quarter of 1999, Virtual Ticketing revenue at Canadian grew 48%.
``In expanding our popular ``Virtual Ticket’‘, our top priority was to
ensure that customer care remain seamless on Canadian and American Airlines
from making reservations to checking in,’’ said Gord Kukec, Vice-President,
Customer Technology and CIO. ``This complex technological advance represents a
first in the industry, and a further move to work closely with our
oneworld(TM) partner, American Airlines, to offer customers a wide and
appealing array of products.’‘
 
Electronic interline tickets can currently be issued by Canadian and
American through reservations departments, airport and city ticket offices,
and through the airline web sites on the Internet at www.cdnair.ca or
www.aa.com. In a future phase of implementation, travel agencies will also
issue interline / codeshare electronic tickets.
 
Eligible destinations for travel on the ``Virtual Ticket’’ include North
American routes for Canadian Airlines as well as all American Airlines routes
worldwide. This enhancement means that electronic tickets can be issued for
itineraries that include both carriers, as well as the carriers’ regional
services operated by American Eagle, Canadian Regional, Inter-Canadien and
Canadian North. The technology will serve as the foundation for the
development of a similar feature with other oneworld partners in the future.
 
Canadian Airlines introduced electronic ticketing in January 1997. To
better meet customer needs, electronic ticketing expanded in November 1997 to
include tickets issued by travel agents and in October 1998, transborder
flights were added.

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