Online travel operation Expedia Inc., scrambling to work deals with the
airlines in the wake of copy-cat decisions across the industry to scale back
or eliminate commissions paid for ticket sales, signed another one, this time
with Continental Airlines Inc.
Bellevue, Wash.-based Expedia , which signed
a marketing deal with Delta Air Lines on March 21, said it has entered
into “an enhanced marketing and financial relationship with Continental .
Expedia rival Travelocity.com signed a similar marketing
deal with Delta on March 13.
The nation’s airlines, struggling to recover from the travel slump that
occurred after the terrorist attack on America last September, have been
steadily cutting or halting commissions in order to save money. And some of
the larger travel
sites are fighting back.
Expedia said its newest marketing agreement includes Continental’s
participation in Expedia Vacations, as well as special promotional offers for
Expedia customers. Financial details were not disclosed.
Delta
began the latest push to eliminate commissions, in mid-March. Other
airlines quickly followed suit. However, most of the airlines left themselves
an out when it comes to deals with large travel sites.