Southwest Chooses To Kick The Can Down The Road on A New Reservation System

ByEdward Pizzarello

According to this article, Southwest has chosen to extend their contract with SABRE for another few years.

On it’s face, this isn’t really a big deal.  And, with their acquisition of AirTran, it’s not surprising that they’re not going to rebuild their reservation system.

And, while this isn’t a big deal, I do have a small issue with the current Southwest reservation system.  I use a couple of tools that search for fares across multiple airlines.  Because of how Southwest chooses to distribute their fares, they don’t appear alongside everyone else’s prices.  Not a huge deal, since I don’t fly Southwest.  But, when I’m trying to find the cheapest fare for someone, Southwest is a viable alternative.

So is AirTran.  AirTran is still currently displayed alongside those other airfares, and I hope that doesn’t change.  It remains to be seen how that will all come together as Southwest continues the integration.

My goal in life is to fill my family’s passports with stamps, creating buckets of memories along the way. You’ll find me writing about realistic ways for normal people to travel the world, whether you’re on a budget or enjoy luxury. I also enjoy taking us on the occasional detour to explore the inner workings of the travel industry.

Leave a Reply