Paper airline tickets, once the industry standard, are on the fast track to oblivion.

If the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has its way, airlines will issue only electronic tickets by the end of 2007, sending paper tickets the way of other rapidly disappearing industry services such as in-flight meals and free pillows.

Travelers who opt for electronic tickets check in for flights using a credit card or government ID. The migration to electronic ticketing, which could save millions of dollars, has been underway for more than 10 years.

The IATA, a global trade group, said that 96 percent of tickets issued by U.S. airlines are electronic, while globally 77 percent of tickets are electronic.

Source: Reuters