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Precision Air cements its e-ticketing target status

Posted: Wednesday July 11, 2007 12:31 AM BT

By Victor Karega

The fifth e-ticketing compliant in Africa and air service provider, Precision Air, has cemented its targeting to attain a hundred per cent e-ticketing eligibility by September this year.

The Airline's MD & CEO, Alfonse Kioko, said recently that, "given the ongoing campaigns plus the e-ticket penetration headway achieved in two months since April this year of 60.3 percent the set period is realistic."

The CEO went on to say that, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Precision Air's e-ticketing status shot up to 60.3 per cent last April, as against 34.32 per cent in January this year.

By comparison, last November, the penetration was a mere 14 per cent.

Kioko noted that the company's 'target for September 2007 is three months ahead of the IATA deadline for e-ticket compliance, which would end in December, this year.'

The airline's boss explained that e-ticketing eligibility campaigns started in Dar es Salaam last year when the airline introduced the system on March 27, 2006.

Sales agents were trained at Arusha, Nairobi and Mombassa.

The company would next conduct similar training at Entebbe in Uganda and Pemba in Mozambique as well as at Kigoma, Tabora and Mtwara in due course of time.

Precision Air embarked on e-ticketing in compliance" with IATA requirements, which has set December this year as the deadline for e-ticketing compliance.

The CEO said among the benefits of an e-ticket to passengers is that it 'does not need collecting, and cannot be stolen, lost or forgotten.'

Also, changes in the passenger itinerary or ticket could easily be effectuated 'by a mere phone call; no need to physical visit a sales office or travel agent.'

He assured the traveling public that ticket stock eliminated as advantages for agents and that there was no more handling of pre-paid ticket advice and ticket at departure point is not needed.

According to IATA, 100 per cent e-ticketing will save the industry up to US$3.0 billion per year and save processing costs, as an e-ticket costs only US$1, compared to $10 for a paper ticket.

IATA processes 300 million paper tickets annually.

"We are challenging ourselves as an industry to find cost reduction possibilities in our industry's complex processes, whilst at the same time enhancing convenience for the customer," stated Kioko.

Currently, Precision Air operates the largest fleet in Tanzania comprising four ATR 42s, two ATR 72s and a 19-seater LET 410.

It covers 11 domestic and four international destinations, thus making it the second largest carrier in East and Central Africa after Kenya Airways.

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