SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 30, 2004–Travelocity Business(SM), a full-service corporate travel agency, today announced that it is adding Spirit Airlines to the growing number of airlines, hotels and car rental companies that are offering its corporate customers discounted rates designed specifically for business travelers. Spirit Airlines, the largest privately held airline in the United States and a leading low-fare airline, is providing Travelocity Business clients 10-20 percent discounts on its already low fares for coach and business class.
“Spirit Airlines has quickly emerged as an affordable option and maintains a high level of quality and flexibility, which is attractive to budget-conscious business travelers,” said Marc Cavaliere, vice president of sales and distribution for Spirit Airlines. “Travelocity Business continues to focus on offering the most complete range of options to business travelers, including discounted fares that offer them the flexibility to deal with changes in travel, and Spirit Airlines is an excellent addition to this program.”
Travelocity Business offers companies and their travelers the highly discounted air, car and hotel deals available on Travelocity(R), but has also created a program in which it negotiates discounts for corporations with fewer restrictions and greater flexibility for business travel. Some of the other airlines offering discounted rates to Travelocity Business clients include Lufthansa, AeroMexico, Frontier Airlines, Japan Airlines and Qantas. Travelocity Business also provides “corporate rates” at thousands of hotel properties, such as Best Western and Pegasus Solutions’ Utell Properties, and car rental discounts through Avis and Hertz.
“Travelocity Business is excited to offer its customers these specially negotiated corporate discounts from Spirit,” said Scott Hyden, general manager, Travelocity Business. “We continue to offer our customers the best deals available, and this partnership with Spirit allows us to provide these deals on an airline that flies to some of the country’s top business destinations.”
Smaller companies typically do not have the volume to negotiate their own discounts, and for large companies it is easiest to focus their negotiations where they offer the supplier the most volume. Through its close relationships with airlines, hotels and car rentals companies, Travelocity Business is helping corporations gain a broad range of discounts that complement their own program.
About Travelocity Business
Travelocity Business(SM) is a full-service corporate travel agency that helps companies easily manage travel and reduce costs, while providing more choices to travelers. Travelocity Business combines the savings and convenience of online with the full service of dedicated agents available 24/7 who typically answer the phone in 20 seconds, and within 60 seconds guaranteed. Companies can cut travel costs through flight deals, Web fares, hotel discounts and service fee savings — representing an average savings of more than $100 per trip, including airfare savings averaging 26 percent per ticket and service fee savings of up to 82 percent.
Travelocity Business combines the expertise, service and travel choices of Travelocity with corporate experience gained from serving more than half of the Fortune 200. For more information, companies can visit www.travelocitybusiness.com.
About Travelocity
Travelocity’s industry-leading technology and straight-talking, honest information help travelers take more rewarding and affordable trips. With 44 million registered users and booking nearly $4 billion of travel in 2003, Travelocity negotiates thousands of low-priced deals with the world’s most reputable travel providers — top airlines, hotels, car rental companies, cruise lines, and other destination attractions and services. Additionally, Travelocity(R) offers deeply-discounted rates for weekend getaways and dynamic packages through its Last Minute Deals and TotalTrip(SM) shopping engines, and provides customer service support over the phone 24 hours a day. Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity powers international travel Web sites in eight languages and has been recognized for its consumer advocacy and global leadership in online travel. More information about Travelocity is available at www.travelocity.com. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG), a world leader in travel commerce. More information about Sabre Holdings is available at www.sabre-holdings.com.
About Spirit Airlines
Founded in 1990, Fort Lauderdale-based Spirit Airlines is the largest privately held airline in the U.S., bringing low fares and friendly service to 16 cities, including: Atlantic City, N.J.; Cancun, Mexico; Chicago/O’Hare; Detroit; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; New York/LaGuardia; Providence; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Washington, D.C./Reagan National; and the Florida cities of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa, with seasonal service to West Palm Beach. Spirit was recently granted authority to fly to 11 Caribbean destinations.
In March 2004, Spirit announced an investment of $125 million from Oaktree Capital Management and will add 35 new Airbus A320 aircraft to its fleet beginning in October 2004, with options for 50 more. In the past five years, Spirit has doubled its revenues to $450 million, and in 2003 Spirit had the second highest load factor of any U.S. airline.
In addition to comfortable Coach class service, Spirit offers Spirit Plus, a low-cost business class with 2-by-2 leather seating, complimentary cocktails and snacks. For more information, fares, schedules and reservations visit www.spiritair.com or call 1-800-772-7117 (en Espanol, 1-800-756-7117).
CONTACT: Vollmer Public Relations
Mary Kate Smither, 972-488-4790
marykate@vollmerpr.com
or
Chintan Talati, 972-488-4790
chintan@vollmerpr.com
SOURCE: Travelocity Business
