Southwest Airlines Overhauls Business Travel Approach

Business travelers who fly with Southwest Airlines will be happy to learn the carrier has introduced a new suite of services and a new name, Southwest Business.

Travel managers and travel management companies will now have new capabilities within Travelport’s global distribution systems and the Amadeus Travel Platform, as well as expanded reporting and settlement capabilities with the Airlines Reporting Corporation.

In an effort to showcase Southwest’s business-friendly policies, the airline offers a larger team of employees to assist with concerns or questions, no change fees and first and second checked luggage fly free.

“For nearly 50 years, we’ve been a business traveler’s airline with high-frequency travel options and low fares,” Southwest President Tom Nealon said in a statement. “Today’s announcement evolves that philosophy even further by offering travel managers and business travelers new capabilities when booking Southwest travel in the channel of their choice.”

By increasing the carrier’s participation within the Travelport and Amadeus channels to the highest level, travel managers and travel management companies will have access to more of Southwest’s fares and flight schedules.

Southwest Business has also added more account managers across the United States, a new Business-to-Business Partner Desk and a new look-and-feel to its SWABIZ booking tool to highlight the airline’s emphasis on working with corporations.