JetBlue lists airline tickets on travel Web sites
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Low-cost U.S. carrier JetBlue Airways Corp has begun selling tickets through online travel agencies Travelocity, Orbitz Worldwide, and Priceline.com, the companies said on Monday.
The agreements expand JetBlue's reach and step up competition for passengers at a time when the U.S. airline industry is threatened by rising fuel costs and a slowing economy.
Orbitz said JetBlue fares will be available for air-only retail bookings and customized travel packages. Travelocity said flight bookings are now available, and JetBlue flights will soon be added to Travelocity vacation packages.
Priceline.com said it will have full access to JetBlue's published fares and seat inventory.
JetBlue said it has also agreed to sell its tickets through top online travel Web site Expedia.
Financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
JetBlue, which offers perks such as leather seats and live in-flight television, has grown into the eighth-largest U.S. carrier in seven years.
The company had previously relied on selling most of its tickets through its own Web site, but last year listed fares on so-called global distribution systems, which serve travel agents.
JetBlue shares were down 3 cents at $7.07 in morning trade on Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Chris Reiter; Editing by Maureen Bavdek and Dave Zimmerman)
