CALGARY — WestJet has partnered with Switchfly, a travel commerce company for direct channel booking, to better manage and expand its ability do package flight and hotel to all destinations, and increase ancillary revenue.
“Switchfly will enable WestJet to offer our guests the freedom to create their own unique travel experiences through access to a global selection of hotels and travel products, seamlessly bundled into an easy to book trip,” said Ed Sims, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Commercial. “Switchfly complements our strategy of becoming a global carrier, serving the needs of today’s traveller and increasing our ancillary revenue opportunities.”
Airlines miss out on significant ancillary revenue because they are not equipped to manage the vendor relations and distribution of third-party inventory such as hotel rooms. Switchfly, however, manages this for them – with over 410,000 unique and verified hotel properties in one booking engine. WestJet can now package its own fares and existing WestJet hotel contracts with a global network of hotel inventory, without having to manage thousands of new contracts or costly new IT systems.
Switchfly offers a fully hosted white-label booking engine that is completely brand-matched – meaning airline customers will have the same branded website experience with Switchfly inventory as they do with their preferred airline. WestJet can set any business rule in the booking engine to get the right package to the right customer at the right time, and adjust for different channels, languages, currencies, business units and selling countries.
The partnership also creates significant new value and benefits for loyal WestJet guests. Members of the WestJet Rewards program will have expanded destinations and opportunities to earn WestJet dollars on customized trips, vacation packages and more. Members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of flights and vacations packages to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods, and have access to Member Exclusive fares offering deals to WestJet destinations throughout its network and those of partner airlines.
