JetBlue is pulling content from a dozen "lower-yield"
online travel agencies as part of a new cost-cutting online distribution
strategy focused on direct bookings. The affected agencies are largely leisure-focused sites, and
the list does not include OTA giants Priceline and Expedia. Additionally, the
move does not affect bookings through any corporate travel tools, a
spokesperson confirmed.
The 12 OTAs are:
- SmartFares
- MyFlightSearch
- VacationExpress
- FlyFar
- FlightNetwork
- Vayama
- WhatsCheaper
- Vegas.com
- JetsetVacations
- CheapFlightsFares
- QuickTravels
- Kiwi
Tackling distribution costs is a common thread among
airlines, including Lufthansa
and International Airlines Group's British
Airways and Iberia, which have turned to surcharges on third-party
bookings. JetBlue EVP for commercial and planning Marty St. George told
Bloomberg that its current contracts prevent it from adding such a surcharge.
JetBlue
called the removal of its content from the 12 OTAs an initial phase. The
spokesperson said JetBlue might "end additional relationships" as it
evaluates distribution partners. The carrier still intends to continue
"valuable partnerships," he said, and in particular wants to work
with metasearch sites such as Kayak, Hipmunk and Google Flights that
"offer customers the ability to comparison shop while booking direct
through the airline."