Southwest, Movielink Offer Movies On The Go

Customers on the run won’t have to worry about late rental fees, thanks to a new movie downloading service offered by Southwest Airlines and Movielink, a video-on-demand service.

Southwest Airlines and Movielink team up for movie download premium

Under the new program, consumers can download film titles through Movielink onto laptop computers before flights or onto their home computer by visiting Southwest.com/movielink.

Customers can browse movie trailers without charge and select from more than 1,000 movie titles through the Movielink service. Downloads range from $1.99 to $4.99 per title. The program, specifically geared toward Southwest Airlines customers, is open to consumers with a high-speed Internet connection.

To receive a movie download, customers must register with the site and pay for their rental via credit card. Customers can watch the downloaded titles within minutes or store them for up to 30 days. Movielink gives customers unlimited viewing for a 24-hour period once a movie begins playing.

Southwest Airlines Spokesperson Beth Harbin said the airline wanted to enhance customers’ travel experience with the download movie option. The service lets consumers take the entertainment with them on their travels, she said.

“We are always looking for additional value to offer our customers,” Harbin said. “This was just the perfect marriage.”

Southwest Airlines is marketing the promotion via e-mail to its 4.5 million subscribers and through ticket sales. And customers receive a buckslip about the promotion inside their ticket jacket, Harbin says. Internet materials also support.

As an incentive, first-time Movielink customers can download a movie for free from the site. In addition, Southwest Airlines offers consumers 20% off movie downloads on subsequent visits to their site, Harbin said.

Alan Citron, senior VP-marketing, Movielink, said the partnership with Southwest Airlines fit in well with the company’s goal to form alliances with big consumer brands.

“Southwest saw us as an interesting premium,” Citron said. “It’s a good fit.”

At the beginning of the program’s launch, Southwest customers were responsible for 20% of the overall movie download business, he said. “The initial response was really strong, and it continues to be strong,” Citron added of the promotion.

The promotion, which launched in January, runs through June. The program, however, can be extended, Citron said.