Where travelling was once a sign of luxury, people are now globe-trotting as a hobby. While travelling, one would like to keep their possessions to a bare minimal which equates to carrying less weight around. If you are an avid traveler as I am, electronic tickets are definitely your best friends. Having your ticket stored in your phone, allows easier access and storage without panic attacks when you have to dig into your bag to search for that elusive paper ticket.
In the aviation industry, the International Air Transport Association estimated that 3-square miles of forest are saved annually if e-tickets are used exclusively. In fact, train companies are even offering reusable travel cards or plastic tokens at cheaper rates to encourage commuters to purchase these cards instead of using paper tickets. Even bus companies are jumping on the bandwagon to offer a convenient and faster fare payment method so that the bus captain can concentrate on his vehicle without handling money and discourage thieves.
Although e-tickets are advantageous, it does have its drawbacks. With a database reliant on electricity and computers, computer crashes or power cuts may result in the loss of data. It has happened before and it will continue to happen. With increasing world-wide usage of the internet, these important databases can also be seen as a challenge for hackers to prove their mettle. Aside from the online threat, the reliance on self-service tickets could affect job opportunities as certain positions are rendered obsolete. Counter attendants are slowly being replaced with self-service kiosks and soon, there may even be an absence of attendants at checking counters.
There are equal amount of positive effects from the introduction of e-tickets. Anyone can purchase tickets in the comfort of their home without leaving it. Customized options for seats, price or discounts can be selected for free without having to queue in a counter or call a hotline number. However one may feel about e-tickets, one fact is for certain; electronic tickets are here to stay and replace their paper counterparts.