New Delhi: Private domestic airline Jet Airways today (Nov 13) said it would start issuing electronic tickets from next year in a bid to cut administrative costs by 50 per cent.

The airline would also effect a change in its ongoing early ticket purchase scheme by allowing travellers to book their tickets before 21 days of travel in addition to the current 15 days and 30 days, Peter Leuthi, CEO, Jet Airways, told reporters in New Delhi.

"We will start e-ticketing from April next year. This will benefit both the customer and the travel agent," Leuthi said, while also announcing the airline's readiness to start operations to Sri Lanka.

Jet Airways would also join the business settlement plan, a ticketing alliance under the International Air Travel Association (IATA).

As per this, there would be a common pool of funds under the IATA for the airlines and the travel agents would have a neutral ticket, as they would deal with all the airlines jointly, he said, adding this was the first such initiative by a domestic carrier.

Leuthi said the apex fares, bookings for which would start next week, would be the same as the published fares.

Welcoming the Government's move to allow domestic carriers to fly to Sri Lanka, Leuthi said the airline was ready to commence operations as soon as it received the nod from Government.

"At Jet Airways, we are too serious and know the complexities of flying international. We have gone through the preparations and are ready when the Government gives the nod," he said.

The airline has, however, deferred its plans to acquire regional jets from Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer by two years, due to the global slowdown in the aviation industry after September 11 attacks in the United States.

Jet Airways had earlier signed a deal to buy 10 aircraft from Embraer with options for 10 more.

On passenger traffic, Leuthi said the growth during August, September and October was not as strong as expected.

"The passenger load factor is picking up now as we are going into the high season. In the previous months, the load factor was about 60 per cent," he said.

Jet Airways would induct a Boeing 737-400 next month and also start flights to Agartala from December 1. The aircraft, to be based at Kolkata, would also be used on the Kolkata-Bangalore sector, Leuthi said.

But he ruled out any plans by Jet Airways to start a low-cost carrier, due to issues regarding infrastructure and tax on aviation fuel.

PTI