Only electronic tickets will be issued for Lufthansa flights and for flights operated by all other IATA airlines as from Sunday, the German airline said.

The decision to phase out paper tickets was made back in 2004 as part of IATA's Simplifying The Business initiative.

Electronic tickets offer customers considerable advantages while providing an opportunity for airlines to cut costs. Furthermore, the switch to electronic tickets will benefit the environment, Lufthansa said. According to IATA, abolishing paper tickets means that 50,000 fewer trees will need to be felled each year.

Lufthansa passengers will not receive a paper ticket but will, instead, be issued with an electronic ticket, or etix.

With an etix, passengers can use the convenient online check-in service and print out their own boarding pass at home or collect it at one of the 350 check-in terminals at airports. Thanks to the latest service innovations, they can also have an electronic boarding pass sent to them by e-mail or by SMS to an internet-compatible mobile phone.

Without etix, none of these services would be possible.

Tomorrow, when the IATA ruling goes into effect, virtually all Lufthansa tickets will be issued as etix.

Paper tickets issued before tomorrow will, however, remain valid.

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