GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The International Air Transport Association said Wednesday that paper airline tickets would be dropped from June 1, 2008 by its member carriers, saving the companies US$3 billion (S$4.1 billion) and the planet 50,000 trees.

An IATA spokeswoman said the measure, adopted in 2004 by all 240 IATA members, would come into effect as planned on June 1.

Most IATA airlines have already dropped paper in favour of electronic tickets.

IATA estimates that in addition to the direct cost savings, the move will save some 50,000 trees a year that would have otherwise been cut down to make the paper required. --AFP

SILKAIR TICKETS GO PAPERLESS

SILKAIR and its authorised travel agents have stopped issuing paper tickets. Travellers are now given an electronic ticket, which they can print out and carry with them when flying.

This move is in line with an industry-wide initiative to go paperless. It is a month ahead of the deadline set by the International Air Transport Association (Iata).

Today, more than nine out of 10 tickets are already electronic. By June 1, it is expected that 96.5 per cent of all the tickets issued globally will be electronic.

SilkAir, a Singapore Airlines subsidiary, operates a fleet of 14 Airbus 320 aircraft, flying to 29 destinations in 11 countries. --ST