On another thread, several people expressed concern about one airline being able to accept an e-ticket from another airline without the ticket being printed to paper. The debate was which is better -- e-ticket or paper. And what airline had agreements with what other airline.

I am a huge proponent of e-tickets. They don't get lost! I'll never forget a call I got in 1997. There was a huge snowstorm raging, the client called on the way to the airport driving in the snowstorm, saying she had left her e-ticket at home, what to do. After I told her she only left her itinerary at home, the e-ticket was in the computer where we could all see it, she said she would never have a paper ticket again.

Sometimes you don't have a choice, like when two airlines -- United and Korean -- don't have an interline e-ticket agreement. But when you do have a choice, the e-ticket is the way to go.

I work for United Airlines in reservations, and work with this on a daily basis.

The most important thing for us in reservations, in my opinion, is to know the ticket number. The first three numbers identify the airline who issued the ticket. United is 016. American is 001. Korean is 180. Then the rest is the acutal ticket number.

If we have the e-ticket number, we can display it on our screens, and push control ( give the ticket to another airline ). Pushing control is another way of saying endorsing the ticket, or signing it over to another airline. It's the electronic version of an endorsement.

As of May 3, United has the following partners:

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Alaska, All Nippon, Aloha, American, American Trans Air ( ATA ), America West, Blue 1 ( a regional carrier in Europe ,) British Airways, Continental, Delta, Emirates, Great Lakes, Hawaiian, Lufthansa, Mexicana, SAS, Singapore, Spanair ( Spanish regional carrier in Europe ), USAIr, and Varig. I thought we had one with British Midlands/BMI, but it wasn't on the list.

Anyway, I hope this helps people who are unsure of getting an e-ticket.

Shipahoy, everyone!

Frances

Frances,

Thank you so much for the explanation.

Thanks so much, Frances. You've given us some very valuable information. While I insisted on paper tickets for our upcoming Baltic trip, it will be e tickets for us from now on.

I was under the impression BMI was a Star Alliance partner of United's. We puchased an intra-Europe air pass through United and one of our connecting flights with United is BMI (going from Amsterdam to LHR).

Thanks for the helpful information, Frances. It is nice to get the insider's info on how things work.

I just had that problem. On the way to the Airport for a business trip I found I'd forgotten my e-ticket. What was good for me is that I did not get my boarding pass online ahead of time. I had one small bag to check and the skycap only needed my ID to get my boarding pass and check my one piece of luggage. Otherwise, I'd have had to get in Southwest's mile long line to check in.

Just because some airlines are partners doesn't mean that they can issue an e-ticket that would cover travel on the partners. I was recently on Lufthansa and Thai on a ticket issued by USAirways (they're all Star Alliance partners) and it had to be a paper ticket. I just got another award ticket for Bangkok next February flying Korean using a Delta ticket and it also has to be a paper ticket despite they're both SkyTeam partners.

BMI is a Star Alliance partner, but so far, not on the e-ticket list.

Thai just joined today. We're getting more and more partners.

As the Wally Bird on the Western Airlines commercial used to say, " it's the only way to fly."

Thanks for the information on BMI, Frances.

Very good to hear that United is getting more partners, too.

I hope United is "the only way to fly" for many years to come! Are you able to give any further insight into the strike threats and possibility that we keep hearing about? As we get closer to our trip, beginning Aug. 2, the more concerned I become.

Thanks!

Our strike vote ( Seattle reservations ) is today, so I got up extra early to go vote NO.

I don't know what the union hopes to accomplish, the company is in bankruptcy, you can't get blood from a turnip.

In 2003, the company asked reservations/airport customer service for a 12% paycut. The Union went to court to fight it. The pilots had taken 29%, the mechanics about 15%, and the Union said we shouldn't have to give anything because we had just ( in 2002 )gotten our raises after ESOP.

The union came in late 1998/early 1999, and they did not get the contract negotiated until 2002. If we hadn't been union, we would have been on the old schedule and had raises in 2000, 2001, 2002.

Anyway, the judge laughed them out of court, said since we were 3 months behind the other work groups in giving back, our cut would be 14%. And it wasn't just 14% for 3-6 months to make up for what we hadn't given, it was permanent.

I've put in some suggestions for negotiating, but they won't even consider them. Plus, they raised our dues in Jan, without a vote by us.

As you can tell, I'm not happy with the Union.

I would rather have my job and give up the pension. Yes, a lot of people have worked 35 years and counted on the pension, but if the company goes under, so do our paychecks and our health insurance. You can't get COBRA if there is no company.

Guess I had better get off my soapbox now.

Thanks for the information, Frances.

It's a difficult and complicated issue. Hopefully, for all concerned both sides can meet somewhere in the middle of their differences.

I do understand your feelings pertaining to the Union. I worked in aerospace years ago, in the Human Resources Dept.. We had to contend with three different union shops in our facility. It was a real lesson in futility and frustration (in my opinion).

I think you are justified in your feelings and getting up on the soapbox. After all, your livelihood and career are at stake.

I wish you and everyone at United the best!