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Online travel tool for Alaska, Horizon Air

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air have introduced a new online shopping tool that provides Web customers with more customized travel options and simplifies the online booking process. The tool is offered at both alaskaair.com and horizonair.com.

The new display shows a wider selection of Alaska and Horizon fares available for specific destinations on a single Web page. The display breaks fares into seven categories, allowing customers to compare the fare rules, availability and price for all ticket options on a single-screen display.

“By laying out all the information on a single page for customers to see for themselves, we’re seeking to take the guesswork out of the online ticket purchase process,” said Steve Jarvis, Alaska’s vice president of sales and customer experience.

“It’s all part of putting customers in the driver’s seat and giving them the information they need to plan and budget their travel according to their own needs.”

The former online shopping system presented fare options largely based on price alone. The seven new categories allow passengers to select tickets with varying levels of restrictions and allow more fares to be combined.

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For instance, a passenger can choose a less expensive, more restrictive fare in one direction and a more expensive, less restrictive fare on the return flight.

Alaska and Horizon also announced today the airlines will implement a $10-per-ticket service fee on Jan. 18, 2006. The fee will apply to ticketing transactions made through reservations call centers and at airport ticket counters.

The fee will not be charged for online ticket transactions made through alaskaair.com or horizonair.com. Consistent with industry trends, the fee is designed to help defray ticket distribution costs and encourage more customers to use online ticketing options.

The same transaction fee will apply for paid tickets and for Alaska Mileage Plan award tickets. The fee will not apply to group fares or ticketing of packaged vacation travel from Alaska Airlines Vacations.

The $60 Express Award Fee, currently charged for award tickets redeemed within three weeks of travel through Alaska and Horizon reservations centers, will be eliminated on the same date.

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 88 cities through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico.
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