Graham Harrison wrote:

at home they are still providing means to obtain them at the airport.

The credit card issue is more interesting. Given the move to self service
at the airport I fear that some form of plastic will be required to check in
at self service devices but that could be a credit/debit/ATB/frequent flyer
card or machine readable document such as a passport. Some airlines do
provide a keyboard to allow you to type date into their check in devices.
And, as for buying the ticket, travel agencies are not quite dead yet.


AA now lets you book online and pay via Western Union.

I don't know if this applies over the phone.