Todays Wall Street Journal bears an interesting story regarding Orbitz and its' shortcomings for obtaining international flight data/fares. Officials at Orbitz readily admit the international search function isn't nearly as good as it should be.

opps. stupid, login only.


all i can say, is i think they'll make it better, as time goes on......

....and of course, in time for me to make some money to actually *afford* international travel.

[This message has been edited by prala (edited 07-31-2001).]

In the article (http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB995468958389864647.htm), Carol Jouzaitis (Orbitz VP) explains that the focus had been on domestic fares up to the launch last month, so they have been using traditional means of searching thru Worldspan to get international fares.

She also said that Orbitz would have an international version on par with its domestic search by 2002 (which would be great). So far as I have seen, Orbitz has done a great job meeting consumer needs to this point, I think they will get it done on the international fares as well.

(By the way, although the article criticizes Orbitz's int'l abilities, the graph they offer shows Orbitz fares that are the same or better 7 out of the 10 destination pairs: a real funny way to priove your point)

Please also see:

Orbitz Has Cool Technology, But Not For International Flights

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/000032.html

Well,... perhaps in Rx!

New Airline Partnerships Expand International Options For Orbitz Travelers
Twelve Leading International Airlines Join Orbitz as Charter Associates

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010801/2064.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/004951.html

doc...thanks for posting the articles!
I think that orbitz's approach of getting the site up and running with the domestic fares (and working out the glitches) and then beefing up the international fares at a later date, was a good one. That way they could make sure that the kinks were worked out before they took expansion to the next phase. I was really glad to see their announcement today that they had added some international charter associates...good to know for future travel!

I just saw this this AM. Looks like Orbitz keeps chugging along in addressing consumer concerns, just as they have been.

I think someone mentioned in the In the News forum that they couldn't find Virgin flights on Orbitz - well what do you know? they're one of the new members: AeroMexico, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, El Al Israel Airlines, Japan Airlines, LanPeru, LOT Polish Airlines, Qantas Airways, Scandinavian Airlines, South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

And now Orbitz is going public:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/004241.html

Wow! this is an old thread. Intersting to see how far Orbitz has come in a year.

Now that Expedia has gotten access to webfares and Orbitz has gone to a fee system and given TA's the ability to access its info thru Navigant software, I think we see that Orbitz has shaken up a very profitable market niche.

Yep! they have been shakin'!

---


Orbitz could harm competition

While Orbitz has helped competition in the travel marketplace, the company could later "harm" competition in the airline industry, according to a federal review Thursday.

http://news.cnet.com/investor/news/n...0.html?tag=ats

Orbitz Says It's Cleared by DOT Review

http://biz.yahoo.com/ri/020627/trans...itz_dot_1.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/004440.html

Orbitz' Heavy Baggage

When Orbitz Inc., the Web travel agency owned by five of the nation's biggest airlines, filed financial documents with the Securities & Exchange Commission to go public in May, investor reaction ranged from respectful to giddy. After all, Net travel site Expedia Inc. and discount hotel-room player Hotels.com have shown that the business can be solidly profitable. "Expedia has been a really hot company and a good investment," says William Smith, president of IPO Plus Fund in Greenwich, Conn. "Orbitz is a nameplate IPO, and it will be a hot deal."

Maybe not. An examination of Orbitz' newly disclosed financial information raises questions about the company's prospects...

...If the interests of the airlines and Orbitz' other shareholders diverge, which group will Orbitz try to satisfy?

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...7/b3790091.htm

Orbitz to Aid Business Travelers

Orbitz LLC, the airline-owned travel Web site, has begun marketing a corporate booking tool designed specifically to help business travelers reduce their spending on airfare.

Orbitz for Business was unveiled Monday at a corporate travel convention in Salt Lake City, joining the burgeoning marketplace for business travel software less than a week after Expedia Inc. announced plans for a similar product.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/tech...ss-Travel.html

Orbitz Ripped for No-Show

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,53951,00.html

"An Orbitz spokeswoman said the company was given only a week's notice of the hearing and its general counsel could not be there because of scheduling problems."

I guess they have a point, although, at least I would have sent someone to say "we have been cleared by the Dept of Trans. twicema dthe Dept of Justice, give us another x amount of time to prepare stuff for you."