The International Air Transport Association (IATA) started its drive for eticketing in 2004, one of the latest trends in world trade.
Headquartered in Geneva, the IATA represents over 240 airlines around the world. Those carriers operate 94% of scheduled international flights
Currently, 84% of passengers on IATA airlines fly without paper tickets. Those travellers are registered on computer systems, and simply check-in at the airport with identification documents in hand.
The global airlines organization points out that China, one of the world's fastest-growing markets for air travel and host of the 2008 Olympic Games, will likely have the first paper-free, airline ticketing system by the end of 2007.
The elimination of paper tickets will save airliners about Cdn$9 per passenger and save some 50,000 mature trees each year.
Low-cost airline carriers like WestJet and larger flyers like Air Canada already have paper-free systems in place.
