Airlines boost use of check-in kiosks

At a time when there is precious little good news about the airline industry comes this article about the cost-reducing and customer-happy-making check-in kiosk. Amazingly, "electronic tickets now account for 30 percent of those issued by airlines, up from 19 percent in 2004, the poll by airlines technology firm SITA and Airline Business magazine showed." From this article:

"The poll found 44 percent of airlines intend to offer some form of in-flight connectivity by the end of 2007.

"High fuel prices have dented hopes for airline earnings this year, though fuel surcharges appear to have helped many pass on costs to passengers without losing business.

"The poll said one risk the industry faces is unnecessary costs stemming from the need to introduce new technology for some carriers, while sustaining legacy systems for those unable or unwilling to upgrade.

"'It would be a costly duplication if the industry had to retain technology to process both paper and electronic tickets,' SITA President Peter Buecking said.

"North American airlines have gone from the industry's technology leaders to laggards, with Asia-Pacific carriers now the most savvy about upgrading technology, the poll found."