Invoices for electronic airplane tickets will be issued in a trial scheme that takes effect on June 1, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China announced yesterday.

The online sale of plane tickets has been hindered in China because of this invoicing issue. Companies and government authorities accept only a certain type of invoice when dealing with a claim for reimbursement or tax deduction.

Official statistics show only 20 percent of plane tickets are sold in the form of e-tickets in China.

The CAAC and the State Administration of Taxation issued a joint notice to carry out a two-year trial in which invoices for e-ticket purchases will be issued.

The invoices will be manufactured under the supervision of the State Administration of Taxation.

Passengers who purchase e-tickets can get their invoices at the airport or from the issuing ticketing agency.

The civil aviation administration expects that this system should increase the number of e-tickets sold by at least 50 percent by 2007.

The current practice is for airlines to issue customers with regular company payment vouchers. But these are not acceptable when claiming reimbursement.

(China Daily April 14, 2006)