United, Northwest Interline E-Ticketing

Northwest Airlines and United Airlines today announced the availability of interlined electronic tickets, enabling passengers to book single e-tickets for itineraries that include both carriers and to more easily rebook to the other carrier when necessary.

Interlined e-tickets currently are available through the carriers' reservations departments and city ticket offices, with availability through travel agents expected in the near future.

For United, the Northwest e-ticket interline link is its third, following earlier connections to Air Canada and Continental Airlines. Northwest also interlines e-ticketing with Continental and expects to establish similar functionality with all major carriers throughout 2002.

Industry experts see interlining as the last major hurdle impeding full-blown e-ticket usage. Though industry groups are developing interline solutions to link all carriers, none has yet proven to be functional and acceptable to them all. The majors in the United States instead are working on bilateral connections, but Continental, Northwest and United are the only ones currently offering active solutions for passengers. Delta Air Lines has said its bilateral links will begin surfacing in 2002. American Airlines has not detailed its interlining plans.