Shipping firms urged to set up online ticketing services

EDC chairman Robert Go says physical ticketing offices should still be available to service those with no access to the Internet.

JUST like airports and airlines, shipping companies should set up online ticketing services to cut down on the long lines of people waiting to buy tickets at their offices.

The Regional Development Council’s (RDC) economic development committee said this yesterday during the council’s second quarterly meeting at the regional National Economic Development Authority office.

The EDC also wanted its Port Services Technical Working Group (TWG) to be represented in the Department of Transportation and Communication’s (DOTC)-Regional Management Council (RMC) to voice their sector’s concerns.

The proposal came after the Port Services TWG stated in their report that there are long lines of passengers buying their tickets usually outside piers.

“It’s really good to look into online ticketing and e-mailing for sea passengers. But there should still be physical ticketing outlets; at least the long queues will be reduced,” EDC Chairman Robert Go said.

He said there should still be physical ticketing outlets especially for those who are not computer literate and who don’t have easy access to the Internet.

Jaja Rama of George and Peter Lines welcomed the suggestion, saying that they’ve been looking into it already.

“We feel it’s a good idea especially in this digital age. It will be good to keep up by also improving our services. We’ve always wanted to explore that but we also have to check its feasibility since we have to change the system and all,” she told Cebu Daily News.

As of now though, Rama said their main ticketing office is already “strategically located” at Pier 2.

They also have ticketing outlets in parts of Cebu City. George and Peter Lines, which travels to and from Cebu, Dumaguete, Dapitan and Zamboanga, has been in the shipping industry for more than five decades.