Server: Netscape-Enterprise/2.01 Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 15:44:48 GMT Accept-ranges: bytes Last-modified: Fri, 07 Nov 1997 17:27:47 GMT Content-length: 5045 Content-type: text/html
Southwest Airlines and Icelandair Expand
Marketing Agreement
Roundtrip Travel Now Available to Europe with
Exceptionally Low Fares
DALLAS/COLUMBIA, MD--Aug. 14, 1997--Southwest Airlines and Icelandair announced today the two carriers have expanded their marketing agreement to include Chicago Midway, Louisville, and Providence.
Southwest and Icelandair began a test program representing a single-route marketing agreement providing a link between Europe and Cleveland on Jan. 22, 1997.
The expanded agreement states Southwest will transport Customers from Chicago Midway, Cleveland, Providence, or Louisville to Icelandairs Baltimore\Washington (BWI) gateway, where passengers will continue to Iceland via Icelandair en route to destinations in the UK, Scandinavia, and continental Europe. Under the expanded test program, all reservations and ticketing will continue to be handled by Icelandair Reservations at (800) 223-5500.
A special roundtrip fare of $298 from Chicago Midway, Cleveland, Louisville, or Providence to Luxembourg, Europes Western gateway (see how accessible Luxembourg, the Crossroads of Europe, is to many European cities - map size 89k) , is available between Nov. 1 and Dec. 11. From Sept. 10 through Oct. 31 the fare from Chicago Midway, Cleveland, Louisville, or Providence to Luxembourg is $398. No advance purchase is required. Some travel restrictions apply: ticketing required within 48 hours of reservations; minimum stay requires Saturday night stayover: 21-day maximum stay; and seats are limited. Tickets are nonrefundable and change fees will apply. Airport-assessed passenger facility charges and international departure taxes also will apply. Reservations may be made immediately with travel beginning Sept. 10, 1997.
"Southwest has been pleased so far with the marketing agreement. Icelandair is a great partner. This expanded agreement brings great value for Customers traveling to Europe," said Dave Ridley, Southwests vice president of marketing and sales. "We are expanding the program to further test its impact on our operations. Our primary interest in this relationship is its effect on our efficient, low cost procedures. Thus far there has been no adverse impact on Southwests operations."
"This is a very exciting development of our partnership with Southwest Airlines," said Gunnar Eklund, director, the Americas for Icelandair, "and it is certainly in line with the projections we had hoped for when we started the Southwest Airlines/Icelandair test marketing project for travel between Cleveland and Europe." Eklund said the test had worked as expected "in regard to all the operational parts of the cooperation." By adding Chicago Midway, Louisville, and Providence to the partnership, Eklund added, "we are certain to see even more travelers taking advantage of this seamless Europe travel opportunity--and the unique airfare alternative we represent for the cost-conscious traveler."
Southwest and Icelandair have very similar philosophies with both carriers offering travelers low fares and excellent Customer Service. Both airlines operate very young all-jet fleets and have excellent safety and ontime records.
Icelandairs North American headquarters is located in Columbia, Maryland, near Baltimore/Washington (BWI) Airport, which is one of the carriers primary North American gateways. The airline operates Boeing 757s on transatlantic routes, and both Boeing 757s and 737-400s to Europe.
In addition to Reykjavik, Icelandairs European destinations include London, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Luxembourg, Hamburg, and Frankfurt. Icelandair operates six North American gateways: Boston, New York (JFK), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, with Minneapolis-St. Paul opening April 1998.
Southwest Airlines, now the nations fifth largest carrier in terms of Customer boardings, serves 51 cities in 25 states. The airline currently has more than 25,000 Employees and operates more than 2,200 flights a day.
Media Please Call:
Public Relations
Southwest Airlines
(214) 792-4847
ICELANDAIR
(800) 223-5500