# Paper airline tickets - horrible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847 "2021-08-02T04:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/1 "2021-08-02T04:44:02Z")
There’s a commercial, I think it’s for insurance and a guy wants to teach people how not to be their parents. In the airport, he says “show me your tickets” and the people he’s teaching hold up paper tickets. He says “We’re off to a horrible start.” Really? I’ve seen the boarding line get held up more often by a phone ticket. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/2 "2021-08-02T04:48:19Z")
There’s a difference between paper tickets and paper boarding passes. I haven’t used a paper ticket, or even a printed one in probably a dozen years. But I’ll print out a boarding pass at the check-in kiosk. ---
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/3 "2021-08-02T04:52:51Z")
Interesting, yes, of course, I believe he says “ticket.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/4 "2021-08-02T11:08:52Z")
Yes, he’s says “ticket”. I find those commercials irritating, condescending, and stereotyping. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/5 "2021-08-02T11:14:09Z")
They must have become obsolete long ago because I’ve never even seen one. I always print out 2 copies of my boarding pass and have it sent to my phone as well. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/6 "2021-08-02T11:24:42Z")
They’re a 20th Century thing. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/7 "2021-08-02T11:37:31Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I always print out 2 copies of my boarding pass and have it sent to my phone as well. I print one paper copy of my boarding pass (tucked into the passport) and have 2 copies on my phone, one in the ‘wallet’ and one screen shot of the wallet, in case I have a connectivity or app problem. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/8 "2021-08-02T11:51:19Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I print one paper copy of my boarding pass (tucked into the passport) This is what I do. I have to show my passport as ID at pretty much every stage that I have to show my boarding pass, so why not have it all in one spot? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/9 "2021-08-02T12:03:55Z")
Jeez, you people are so young. I tend to get paper boarding passes, just in case, and when I check my bags in at the kiosk in SW Airlines printing them is simple. Paper tickets, on the other hand, were awful. First you had to get them, which involved a trip to a travel agent or an airport or having them delivered. I remember having to go to a United store in Palo Alto to get some once. Then you had to remember to bring them. Losing tickets would be a big deal. You can’t lose modern electronic tickets. I don’t know if airlines even have printed tickets any more.Getting rid of them is one of the few things that is better with air travel today. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/10 "2021-08-02T12:19:22Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I print one paper copy of my boarding pass (tucked into the passport) and have 2 copies on my phone, one in the ‘wallet’ and one screen shot of the wallet, in case I have a connectivity or app problem. I don’t get a paper boarding pass, but I do take a screenshot of my e-pass. I once had a flight where the departure was delayed at the last minute. An hour after the originally scheduled departure time, my e-pass would no longer come up on my phone, so I had to ask the gate agent for a paper pass. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/11 "2021-08-02T12:31:07Z")
Paper tickets, wow … I totally forgot about those. I’m not sure when I last use an actual paper ticket. My guess is early 2000s. And remember Federal Express travelers cheques? I last traveled with those in 1996. I just do boarding pass on the phone today or sometimes I pick up a boarding pass from the self service kiosk. No sense in wasting my own paper and ink. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/12 "2021-08-02T12:40:33Z")
_American_ Express travelers checks ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/13 "2021-08-02T12:41:16Z")
“Don’t leave home without them!” StG ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/14 "2021-08-02T12:45:20Z")
Of course. Gotta get that morning cuppa joe. At least I remembered spelling “cheques” the British way that American Express did for some reason (irony?) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/15 "2021-08-02T13:42:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I find those commercials irritating, condescending, and stereotyping. I think they’re hilarious. “Joaquin!” gets me every time. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/16 "2021-08-02T13:48:27Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I find those commercials irritating, condescending, and stereotyping. Let’s face it. The average user of SDMB is exactly who they’re mocking. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/17 "2021-08-02T14:37:49Z")
No mussin’, no fussin’, no cussin’. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/18 "2021-08-02T14:46:13Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > > [@Broomstick](#): > > > > I find those commercials irritating, condescending, and stereotyping. > > Let’s face it. The average user of SDMB is exactly who they’re mocking. That’s because many users of the SDMB _are_ someone’s parents. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/19 "2021-08-02T14:59:37Z")
Don’t forget, the activities mocked in those commercials aren’t _bad,_ they’re just evidence that we’re turning into our parents. Since I’m in the midst of doing just that, I think they’re hilarious, and we need more of them. Oh, just remembered a listing (I almost said “classified ad”) on NextDoor where a middle-aged guy titled it “Keep Me From Turning Into My Parents!” followed by “Please take this _Live, Laugh, Love_ plaque off my hands.” ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847/20 "2021-08-02T15:20:07Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > > [@Broomstick](#): > > > > I find those commercials irritating, condescending, and stereotyping. > > I think they’re hilarious. “Joaquin!” gets me every time. I love these commercials, too. Taking those 15 cushions off that couch. Plus the first commercial had that fake book cover. I always get two boarding passes printed; drops my stress level like crazy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paper-airline-tickets-horrible/947847.md?page=2)