Atlanta-based Delta Air
Lines, which just backed off its surcharge for tickets
not sold on the Web, said it will expand its electronic ticketing program to
include flights to and from many destinations in Europe over the next few
months, beginning on Feb. 1 with Amsterdam.
“With the addition of these European destinations, Delta will offer electronic
ticketing
to our passengers on more than 98 percent of our flight departures worldwide,”
said Patrice Miles, director of distribution planning for Delta.
Initially, electronic ticketing will be available only on Delta-operated
flights. Electronic ticketing will not be available at this time on Delta’s
code-share flights operated by
partner carriers. However, Delta plans to introduce interline electronic
ticketing as a future enhancement.
Delta already offers electronic ticketing on all Delta, Delta Express and
Delta Shuttle flights within the 50 states, San Juan, Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands; Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada.
Customers may purchase electronic tickets through SkyLinks, Delta’s Web site.
Meanwhile, Delta spokeswoman Kay Horner cited competitive reasons for the
quick removal of the 2-week-old surcharge fee, which added $2 on domestic
roundtrip tickets booked anywhere else but through its Web site.
“The market spoke–and we responded,” she told the Associated Press. The
American Society of Travel Agents had been sharply critical of Delta’s
surcharge, saying it was discriminatory against people who preferred travel
agents or didn’t have ready access to the Internet.