UAL, AA Align E-Ticketing

The world's two largest carriers, American Airlines and United Airlines, today launched electronic ticket interlining, allowing customers to use one e-ticket for itineraries including both. The agreement, which links the airlines' respective e-ticket databases and facilitates passenger rebooking if necessary, is the most comprehensive bilateral interline link to date.

United also interlines e-tickets with Star Alliance partner Air Canada, Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines. Continental interlines also with Northwest and America West Airlines. But for American, the United link is the only existing e-ticket interline agreement. Earlier AA-Canadian Airlines interlining was eliminated when the latter was absorbed by Air Canada in late 1999.

Interlining has been seen as the final hurdle to nearly ubiquitous e-ticket usage. United said 73 percent of all U.S. customers already choose e-tickets. American marked its penetration at 65 percent. Both carriers offer e-tickets to every worldwide destination.