DALLAS -- Southwest Airlines will no longer offer its flights on Travelocity.com after the carrier couldn't confirm
reservations some of its passengers had made on the Web site.
In 1994, Southwest negotiated an agreement with Sabre,
Travelocity's parent, for basic listings in the CRS at discounted
prices, but the distribution agreement for on-line bookings didn't
pull from to Southwest's live inventory of seats, according to Beth
Harbin, a spokeswoman for Southwest.
As a result, many passengers purchased tickets on Travelocity
for Southwest flights that were already full.
Travelocity asked Southwest to honor the tickets of passengers
who had booked flights its Web site, according to Al Comeaux, a
Travelocity.com spokesman. The two sides mutually decided to end
their relationship, Comeaux said.
Harbin said Southwest has no plans to start selling tickets on
Expedia.com,
or any other on-line travel agency, but rather will focus on it own
site, Southwest.com.
Southwest sold 30% of its inventory on its Web site last year,
but only about 1% of its tickets on Travelocity.com, Harbin
said.
In other news, Southwest said it will add new daily nonstop and
direct flights beginning this summer.
Beginning June 10, the airline will add three new daily nonstop
flights between Phoenix and Orange County, and two new daily
nonstop flights between Las Vegas and Orange County. The airline
also will add one new daily direct flight between Orange County and
Nashville.
Beginning July 5, Southwest will add one new daily nonstop
flight between Phoenix and Chicago Midway; one new daily nonstop
flight between Chicago Midway and Tampa Bay; one new daily nonstop
flight between Portland and Phoenix; and one new daily nonstop
flight between Phoenix and Tampa Bay.