By WATI ANDI SAMSIAR
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia Airlines will go ticket-less for all flights within the country and from Malaysia to Singapore effective May 1.
With its full expansion to ticket-less capabilities, Malaysia Airlines will cease all conventional ticketing at its offices for domestic travel.
The Sabah area manager for Malaysia Airlines, Mohd Nazeri Abd Karim, said customers now have the option of booking and paying via the airline’s corporate web site, its 24-hour call centre, and at airport and ticketing offices throughout Malaysia.
He said customers will no longer need to carry a ticket as proof of purchase for travel.
“Upon check-in, passengers will only need to know their booking reference and produce a valid identification card,” he said.
For Business Class and Enrich members, the airline will provide an exclusive front-end check-in area.
However, he said, customers buying tickets through agents appointed by Malaysia Airlines will be given conventional paper tickets.
“Agents are not into paperless as yet, and they will still have to print out the normal (conventional) tickets for passengers,” Mohd Nazeri told a press conference yesterday.
Mohd Nazeri said that ticket-less check-in will make it easier for passengers, as they do not need to worry about losing their tickets.
“Eventually we hope to expand ticket-less travel to all international and interlining sectors.
“We will then migrate to full implementation of e-ticketing, in line with IATA’s requirement for such readiness, next year,” he added.
Meanwhile, to ensure that their ticket-less capability is fully functional and ready for operation, the airline conducted tests and trials with users, and made the necessary fault rectifications.
Mohd Nazeri said Malaysia Airlines personnel are being trained now to handle the various transaction processes, such as booking, payment and check-in.
Through the extended reach of its ticket-less capability, he said Malaysia Airlines expects an annual estimated 15 per cent savings on its distribution cost.
“Transaction through this facility is also expected to increase from the current annual average of five per cent to 30 per cent over the course of the coming year,” he said.
E-ticketing is a critical component to the success of one of Malaysia Airlines’ five focal aims-’Flying to Win Customers’-as customers increasingly prefer to purchase tickets via the Internet.
Apart from e-ticketing, Malaysia Airlines plans to introduce more service enhancements to its direct distribution channel in the near future to leverage cost benefits whilst engaging greater customer ownership.
He said customers can look forward to better service as Malaysia Airlines continues to provide the improved products and services announced in its business turnaround plan.
Malaysia Airlines first introduced paperless ticketing in 1997 for travel within Malaysia and to and from Singapore through a joint initiative with Malayan Banking Berhad.
The Internet booking facility at www.malaysiaairlines.com is currently available around the clock. Customers successfully completing their transactions using a credit card will be presented printable confirmation pages and e-mail confirmations.
The email confirmation page will constitute the itinerary receipt for customers’ retention and check-in at the airport.
Courtesy of New Sabah Times
