by Worldroom Travel Digest
September 11 2003

ATLANTA, Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today announced the launch of interline electronic ticketing (ET) with Alaska Airlines, extending the convenience of electronic ticketing to customers who travel on Delta and Alaska in the same itinerary. Today, more than 90 percent of Delta customers worldwide take advantage of electronic ticketing (ET).

Since its inception, the use of electronic ticketing has grown at a rapid pace primarily because of the customer benefits that result from it.

“With interline electronic ticketing, customers have the control and flexibility of changing itineraries between Delta, Alaska, American, Continental, Northwest, and United – without exchanging their electronic ticket for a paper ticket,” said Lee Macenczak, senior vice president - Sales & Distribution. “ET also facilitates our efforts to create other customer-focused technology solutions that improve the travel experience and add convenience for our customers.”

Electronic ticketing is the key enabler for other customer services at Delta such as Online Check-in at delta.com where SkyMiles members save time by checking in and printing boarding passes at home or the office from their personal computer up to 24 hours in advance. It also provides customers the means to use self-service check-in at more than 741 kiosks in 81 Delta cities in the United States. Whether customers choose to check-in at delta.com or a kiosk, they may bypass ticket counter lines and proceed directly to security with their photo identification and printed boarding pass in hand.

Interline electronic tickets can be issued by Delta, Alaska, American, Continental, Northwest or United through their individual reservation centers, airports and ticket office locations. This product is available for all Delta, Alaska, American, Continental, Northwest, and United flights in electronic ticketing-eligible markets including Delta Connection, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Song, Horizon Air, AmericanConnection, Northwest Airlink and United Express flights. Codeshare flights are not yet eligible but are targeted by end of 2003.

Today’s product launch follows the 2002 introduction of interline ET between Delta and air carriers Northwest Airlines and United Airlines and a 2003 launch with America Airlines and Continental Airlines. With a goal to reach 100 percent ET usage by the end of 2004, Delta anticipates it will expand interline electronic ticketing technology with all other major U.S. carriers in 2004. Development also is in progress to extend interline electronic ticketing issuance capability for codeshare flights before the end of 2003.

Delta Air Lines, the world’s second largest airline in terms of passengers carried and the leading U.S. carrier across the Atlantic, offers 5,883 flights each day to 447 destinations in 81 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection and Delta’s worldwide partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services.