Sometimes an airline can actually lose track of an e-ticket due to a glitch in the system. According to a June 16, 2011, report by travel agent Janice Hough on ConsumerTraveler.com, her customer tried to check in online but the system replied with "no electronic ticket found." Luckily, Hough helped straightened out the mess in a series of phone calls and emails, but other travelers might not be so lucky. By bringing as much information with them to the airport as they can -- including a printed copy of the receipt, flight itinerary and a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license or a passport -- travelers can prove they purchased their tickets.
Codesharing -- a kind of partnership between two different airline carriers -- occurs when one carrier gives the other the right to sell seats under its name. While this saves savvy shoppers money, it creates headaches at the airport. For example, a passenger may think she is flying United, only to hear at the United counter that she cannot check in because her flight is with a carrier not listed on her e-ticket. ABC News reports that this confusion could lead to missed flights, but a careful read of their itinerary before arriving at the airport helps passengers determine their carrier.
Codesharing also may cause confusion regarding lost luggage. According to ABC News, the codeshare carrier -- not the main carrier listed on the e-ticket -- remains responsible for baggage, and its rules for handling lost luggage and compensation may differ from the main carrier's rules. Passengers should determine in advance, however, the true carrier of each flight as well as the luggage rules for connecting carriers.
For passengers, accessing e-ticket information before arriving at the airport can prove inconvenient, especially when traveling in developing nations that have limited access to the Internet, computers and printers. Printing out e-tickets for each leg of the journey in advance and keeping the copies in a secure location can minimize the risk.
