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Fact Sheet: IATA Paper Ticket

IATA was instrumental in developing the first version of the passenger ticket
During the 1920s, each airline used a different form of the passenger ticket with no standard conditions of carriage
The industry recognised need for standardisation of traffic documents, regulations and procedures
It became the main focus of the IATA Traffic Committee which developed the standard ticket for multiple trips (1930)
Warsaw Convention (signed in 1929 implemented in 1933) established the conditions of international air transportation documents and carrier liability
IATA developed a neutral paper ticket in 1972 to support the global distribution system that is prevalent today – more than 60,000 travel agents around the world
- This is what is being eliminated by the industry
In 1983 IATA established the Automated Ticket and Boarding Pass (ATB)
- It allowed information to be printed on the face of the ticket and encoded on a magnetic stripe on the back which could be easily read by computer
Montreal Convention of 1999 replaced the Warsaw Convention introducing the concept of unlimited liability
Around the same time document requirements for passenger, baggage and cargo
- were simplified to take advantage of new information technologies
- became basic foundation for the development and global implementation of the electronic ticket

Paper interline ticket – manual, multi-coupon, carbonised ticket
Transitional automated ticket – computer printed, multi-coupon, carbonised ticket
Automated Ticket & Boarding pass (ATB) – ticket and boarding pass, data encoded on a magnetic stripe

Up to 25 printers used
Security shipped to more than 60,000 IATA accredited travel agents
- in more than 200 countries worldwide
Most paper tickets issued in one year - 285 million (2005)
Annual cost of printing and distribution – over $20 million/year
Printed in some 30 languages

Updated: June 2008