Airliners.net

I have noticed on travelocity that Southwest Airlines is not a option when booking your own flights.
Are their other airlines not on travelocity?

WN (Southwest) does not use third-party booking sites at all. You have to book directly with them. It is part of their strategy to keep costs down and also "have better control over the customer experience" as quoted by a WN exec in this article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...ap-airfare-airlines_n_1876588.html

WN cut their ties with Travelocity about 5 yrs. ago. The only place AFAIK to buy online is on their website. I know FR and DY don't use 3rd party sites.

Southwest only allows for booking through their own website, and has mentioned it in commercials. No Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, or Orbitz. WN doesn't participate in the GDS systems, either.

Among US carriers, the only other airline that I can think of that isn't on the major travel websites is Allegiant, but G4 wants you to book a package with them anyway. Interestingly enough, by the end of next year, you will be able to book airlines other than G4 on allegiant.com (but I highly doubt that WN will be one of them).

It's how southwest keeps the illusion of having the lowest fares- they don't let you compare them on sites like travelocity.

Quoting XFSUgimpLB41X (Reply 4): It's how southwest keeps the illusion of having the lowest fares- they don't let you compare them on sites like travelocity.

That was my thought. I'll use a site to find fares and usually *one* other airline. This vacation, I didn't bother looking at WN. Some times I do, sometimes I don't....

Lightsaber

WN won my Christmas travel. Lowest fare by about $200/pp, not to mention another chunk of baggage fees saved, possibly two checked bags each way. Jumped on it during a sale, but WN potentially saved me $500.

Southwest's fare are only on their website. That's one of their selling points.

For instance, using Kayak, FlyFrontier you can book a F9 flight from MSP-DEN for $237.80 (no bags) and with Southwest's website, booking the same route on WN for $233.60 (with taxes, including "two bags fly free").

You can compare, you just can't do it easily.You can see that UA and DL have flights from MSP-DEN nonstop for the same price.

Note that this was done for departing MSP on Nov. 30 and departing DEN on Dec. 1.

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 3): WN doesn't participate in the GDS systems, either.

Yes, they do, but only for corporate travel agreements. As mentioned above, they don't distribute outside Southwest.com for leisure travel.

Quoting dartland (Reply 8): As mentioned above, they don't distribute outside Southwest.com for leisure travel.

Not even Travel Agents can't book tickets on WN for their customers??

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 3): Southwest only allows for booking through their own website, and has mentioned it in commercials. No Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, or Orbitz. WN doesn't participate in the GDS systems, either.

another a.net myth...

I can book SW and other airlines that do not show up on expedia or travelocity with my corporate travel site.

They are similar to Apple, they want to control everything in your experience. Some like that some don't, but either way it makes it very difficult to compare. Which is exactly what companies want.

Southwest is not in any GDS

Quoting bobloblaw (Reply 11): Southwest is not in any GDS

I think they are in Sabre, unless that has changed recently.

Quoting DLD9S (Reply 12): Quoting bobloblaw (Reply 11): Southwest is not in any GDS I think they are in Sabre, unless that has changed recently.

Yes WN renewed their agreement with Sabre last February, and they are working with Amadeus for future international services. They've had an agreement Sabre for many years.
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/pr...es-selection-may-put.html?page=all

Quoting MountainFlyer (Reply 1): WN (Southwest) does not use third-party booking sites at all.

Wrong.

Quoting FWAERJ (Reply 3): Southwest only allows for booking through their own website, and has mentioned it in commercials.

Wrong.

Quoting CalebWilliams (Reply 7): Southwest's fare are only on their website. That's one of their selling points.

Wrong.

Quoting dartland (Reply 8): Yes, they do, but only for corporate travel agreements. As mentioned above, they don't distribute outside Southwest.com for leisure travel.

That's correct.

Quoting ORDBOSEWR (Reply 10): another a.net myth...

  
Anyone with an account on orbitzforbusiness.com can see WN fares next to all other airlines just like you would on the "retail" orbitz web site.

Quoting airbazar (Reply 14): Anyone with an account on orbitzforbusiness.com can see WN fares next to all other airlines just like you would on the "retail" orbitz web site.

And what % of travelers is that?

Quoting DLD9S (Reply 12): I think they are in Sabre, unless that has changed recently.

Yes, youre right, I forgot. But I dont think a travel agent with Sabre can book WN can they?

From a previous thread:

This is an excerpt from an article that was posted in another newsgroup about airlines and the commissions they pay travel agents:
One note: as of March 2, Southwest was no longer selling tickets through Travelocity.com. It thus became the first major U.S. airline to sell online tickets only through its own Web site. The problem lies in the level of connectivity Southwest has with Sabre, which supplies Travelocity.com with its airfares.

Southwest has used Sabre's "Basic Booking Request" system since 1994 – before the Internet was a viable sales channel. When a customer books a ticket on Travelocity.com, the service queries Sabre, which then queries the Southwest res system, a process that normally takes seconds. But, on some occasions, at the level of connectivity that Southwest has with Sabre, that process can take up to 24 hours. For brick-and-mortar agencies, that's not a problem. But in the instantaneous world of the Internet, it is.

In some instances, a customer could get a confirmation from Travelocity.com – and not a confirmation from Southwest. The result: a passenger would arrive at an airport and find they had no seat on the flight.

One solution: Southwest could upgrade to a higher level of connectivity with Sabre and eliminate the problem. But, such an upgrade would cost millions of dollars, an investment that the low-cost carrier seems perfectly willing to forgo, since just 1% of its bookings come through Travelocity.com. That compares to 30% that come through its own Web site.

Does Travelocity No Longer List WN? (by Ctbarnes Mar 9 2001 in Civil Aviation)
Why WN Refuses To Post Fares With Kayak, Ect! (by Squirrel83 Jul 31 2005 in Civil Aviation)

Quoting bobloblaw (Reply 16): But I dont think a travel agent with Sabre can book WN can they?

We book WN from scratch and when they need to modify anything at all we must call WN to process the exchange and then GK the new segs in the PNR. PNR is in Sabre w Sabre locator though..as well as WN locator ofcourse

In the past the full blown GDS systems had high fees - about $12 a ticket. With WN's low, low fares that would not be acceptable.

As GDS systems evolve (AA and Sabre got into a nasty fight last year) and WNs price advantage shrinks - maybe something will change. But for now the consumer has to book thru WN directly in most cases.

Today some can book business travel via GDS and WN. But on our system WN is a second class citizen for stuff like changes and obviously has some different connectivity than UA and others.

Southwest also doesnt have agreements with other airlines for cases of irregular operations. We cant rebook passengers onto WN and vice versa when needed.

Quoting ADent (Reply 19): But on our system WN is a second class citizen for stuff like changes and obviously has some different connectivity than UA and others.

Couldnt have said it better..10 extra steps for a simple exchange

Southwest is definitely in Sabre, although as said not just anyone can book through it.

Quoting FlyDeltaJets (Reply 20): Southwest also doesnt have agreements with other airlines for cases of irregular operations. We cant rebook passengers onto WN and vice versa when needed.

It is possible to put people on Southwest during IRROPS, but (at least at my airline) requires manager approval, and we basically cut them a check for the fare they have listed.

Quoting ADent (Reply 19): As GDS systems evolve (AA and Sabre got into a nasty fight last year)

US also sued Sabre recently.