Game Changer: Southwest Airlines Now Available on Google Flights – View from the Wing

Southwest Airlines famously doesn’t show up when searching online travel agency websites. Historically if you’ve wanted to buy a ticket on Southwest, you’ve had to go directly to Southwest to make the purchase.

That saves money on distribution costs since they aren’t paying third parties
But it means many consumers aren’t considering Southwest since they don’t even know about the option
The Southwest Airlines website became one of the first five e-commerce sites to hit a billion dollars in revenue, nearly a quarter century ago.

If you go to Expedia to find out about flights, you assume you’re finding out about all of the flights on a route. Yet Southwest even sues websites that display its schedules and fares without authorization.

Now, however, Southwest Airlines flights appear in results at Google Flights.

When a Chrome browser extension let you see Southwest itineraries on Google flights a year and a half ago, the airline killed it.

Two things have changed since then.

1. Southwest is struggling. They are working on a number of changes to their business model to better meet customers where they are and deliver a product that customers are demanding. They need revenue anywhere they can get it as their losses have been surprising.
2. Airfare displays will have to include some fees like checked bag fees under new Department of Transportation rules. Southwest doesn’t sell basic economy fares, and hasn’t had change fees. Other airlines largely matched the lack of change fees on non-basic economy tickets during the pandemic. Southwest also includes two checked bags with each ticket. Competitor fares will have to show the cost of checked bag fees. Previously, displays disadvantaged Southwest but new government rules will make them look cheaper to many customers.

Southwest Airlines didn’t like price comparisons with other carriers on third party websites because they were often more expensive, especially given their more bundled model – in addition to the added distribution costs selling through other systems.

New government rules will make those same Southwest tickets appear more competitive, and Southwest is willing to allow their fares to be displayed next to those of other airlines. And with the airline struggling they’re willing to revisit past orthodoxies.

(HT: Thrifty Traveler)

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