Southwest Airlines started its free downloadable software called “Ding” that automatically informs customers when new deals are available.
Ding does it with the sound of a bell and a tiny desktop icon.
“We wanted to do something to get the fresh smell of a hot sale out to consumers — sort of what grocery stores do with fresh loaves of French bread,” said Linda Rutherford, a spokeswoman for Southwest.
The program installs a small icon shaped like a Southwest airline tail in the corner of most computers.
With the ding icon and an active internet connection, users have access to fare that are in some cases even lower than Southwest’s Click’nSave” sent by e-mail to customers.
Those fares are up to two thirds less expensive than unrestricted fares, according to Kevin Krone, vice president of interactive marketing at Southwest.
Southwest in news releases repeats the point that the system is not any form of spying, but an effort to get out the latest information on the best fares.
Mr Krone says the system was not designed to help Southwest get rid of tickets at the last minute, but it will have some impact.
Ding subscribers for now will receive information about best fares around the country, but Mr Krone said the information may be more targeted in the future.
Report by David Wilkening
