December 7, 2004

From now on, all Air Canada and Lufthansa customers can use electronic tickets on their partner airline’s flights. This means that passengers on both airlines no longer need paper tickets and can check in for their flights quickly and easily at the partner airline’s check-in counters or terminals. In the course of 2005, Lufthansa Systems will implement the exchange of electronic tickets between the Star Alliance partners Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, British Midland, LOT Polish Airlines and the other members of the Alliance.

E-ticket interlining is the term used for the new and much more complex process involved in e-ticketing when flight connections are jointly operated by two or more airlines. Since November 23, the reservation and check-in systems of Air Canada and Lufthansa have been compatible and connected. If, for example, a passenger flies from Frankfurt to Toronto on Lufthansa using an electronic ticket, he can now continue his journey within Canada without interruptions, also using an electronic ticket.

„As early as ten years ago, we took on a pioneering role in the European market when we introduced electronic ticketing at Lufthansa under the name of ‘Etix’. We are delighted that more and more airlines can now benefit from our know-how and our solutions to make the check-in process easier for their customers” explained Gero von Götz, Vice President Business Segment Airline Solutions at Lufthansa Systems.

Lufthansa Systems has successfully developed a system that fulfills the very complex requirements of e-ticket interlining. In addition, it complies with both IATA standards and those of all Star Alliance members and allows more partners to be taken on board. Just recently, in mid-November, the aviation industry association IATA and its member airlines decided to make electronic ticketing the global standard by 2007.

From a purely technological point of view, the implementation of e-ticket interlining between the reservation systems of different airlines is relatively simple, because of the standards in use today. In contrast, the definition and agreement of the “business rules” that have to be detailed and finalized between the participating airlines is extremely complex. These were worked out and implemented by Lufthansa Systems on the basis of Star Alliance business requirements, resulting in a system that optimally covers the Alliance carriers’ e-ticket interlining needs.

The exchange of ticket data in the check-in area is a further challenge. Because of this, the next step will be the implementation of ground handling functionality during the coming year, which will allow the use of electronic tickets even where an external company carries out the check-in procedure using its own system.

Note to the editors:

Lufthansa Systems is one of the world’s leading IT service providers for the airline and aviation industry. As systems integrator, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group covers the entire range of IT services, including consulting, development, implementation and operation. Lufthansa Systems provides its IT infrastructure and operations services to a variety of industries. Headquartered in Kelsterbach near Frankfurt/Main, Germany, the company has branches in Germany and 14 countries and employs about 4,400 people worldwide. In the business year 2003, Lufthansa Systems recorded sales of EUR 610.7 million.