After delaying a decision on a new reservations system a few months ago, Southwest Airlines says it is now hard at work building a code-share capability to use with merger partner AirTran Airways.
Southwest hopes to be able to code share with AirTran -- exchanging passengers and bags in a single itinerary and fare -- by the first half of 2012, officials say.
Southwest's current internal reservations system is a hybrid TPF solution, including programming capabilities from Sabre and using HP for data center services. And AirTran uses a Navitaire platform for its reservations system.
Southwest officials have said that Amadeus and Sabre are on a short-list of candidates to provide the airline with a new reservations system when it gets around to making a decision.
Speaking during Southwest's third quarter earnings call yesterday, CEO Gary Kelly talked about the code-share challenge. Kelly said:
We don't have classic code-share technology in our system. Importantly, neither does AirTran. And, so that's why we are leading you that way, that we're constructing that technology to enable the exchange of passengers and bags, and therefore [we] expect to be in place by the first half of next year.
Kelly added that the code-sharing would include AirTran domestic and international flights.
Given Southwest's ties with Sabre, it wouldn't be surprising if Sabre was working with the airline on the code-share capability.
In other news, Southwest confirmed that TripIt and Traxo were among the mileage trackers that it sent cease and desist letters.
Southwest has been cracking down on such sites.
"We have asked them to discontinue to protect the security of our [RapidReward] members data (date of birth, credit card etc.) We have no way to ensure sufficient data security for third party sites," says Brandy King, Southwest spokeswoman.
King says the airline's legal department is overseeing discussions with the third party sites and she is not aware of any websites still tracking RapidRewards accounts without authorization.
Meanwhile, Southwest has recently been offering vouchers on Groupon Getaways with Expedia for discounts on some of the airline's Wanna Get Away flights.
On certain Portland-Los Angeles roundtrips, for example, Groupon users could pay $10 for a Groupon voucher for a $40 discount on the airline's fares.
Groupon Getaways is powered by Expedia and, of course, Southwest's flights are not available on Expedia.
Travelers purchasing the Southwest Groupon can't book the flight on Groupon or Expedia, but have to book it on Southwest.com, where they will get the voucher credit.
"Our participation in the Groupon offers is part of our continuing effort to explore the online space and tools -- reaching our customers on the channels they are utilizing," King says.