Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has decided to waive booking fees on most flights booked on Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com through May.

Published: 08 Apr 2009

Orbitz Worldwide Inc. has decided to waive booking fees on most flights booked on Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com through May.

Orbitz’s promotion, which lasts until May 31, follows price guarantees offered last month by priceline.com Inc and Sabre Holdings Corp’s Travelocity and a fee waiver issued in March by Expedia Inc.

Not included in the Orbitz no-fee promotion are multicarrier tickets, in which an itinerary combines routes from multiple airlines -- tickets the airlines themselves don’t sell.

“We view the suspension of air booking fees at Orbitz as a competitive response designed to stem market share losses, and we believe the move is unlikely to benefit Orbitz given the financial importance of booking fees at the company, said Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst George Askew, according to AP.

Askew estimated that air booking fees may represent as much as 10 percent of Orbitz’s total revenue and that the temporary suspension may cost the Chicago-based company as much as $12 million in revenue.

Expedia waives booking fees on all flights

priceline announces fee chops for its hotel service

Travelocity comes up with “Fee-Free, Worry-Free Travel” promotion

Related links: Orbitz Worldwide, Booking fees

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