MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. -- Travel One said it located about $500,000 in
unused electronic tickets after launching a new electronic ticket
program in January.
Travel One said the program, called E-TRon, has shown
significant results in helping its clients deal with what is being
called electronic ticket "breakage" -- effectively reconciling
unused segments. "As electronic tickets become more and more
prevalent, it's critical to have a system in place to manage all
this electronic commerce," said Allan Brown, vice president of
information technology at Travel One.
"Current airline estimates indicate that anywhere from 30% to
35% of all tickets are electronic. With average breakage rates
hovering around 5%, the dollar amount of unused tickets is
significant."
Travel One said eight of its current corporate travel clients,
including Watson Wyatt and SAP America, use the company's E-TRon
software to help monitor electronic ticket usage.
Travel One said its clients are not using about 4.36% of the
electronic tickets issued to them. For a company with a $20 million
annual air volume, that translates to a $261,450 cost to the
company for unused electronic tickets.
The problem of electronic ticket breakage has been a
considerable one for many corporations and their agencies, and
according to industry officials, it has added to concerns that
companies have about using electronic tickets. Many firms have been
reluctant to push electronic tickets, because their travelers say
they want a "paper trail" to protect against potential tax
audits.