America West Airlines Now Offers Instant Online Customer Service

PHOENIX, July 19, 2004 -- America West Airlines' (NYSE: AWA - News) online customers now have quick and easy access to an America West customer service representative daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT. The carrier announced today that its new real-time chat box provides instant customer support to travelers visiting http://www.americawest.com.

Customers researching travel on www.americawest.com can now click on a help box that contains a link to Live Help!, a pop-up chat box that prompts them to ask a question and receive an immediate response from one of the airline's trained customer service representatives. In addition, customers will still have access to existing assistance options such as calling 1-800-2-FLY-AWA, e-mailing reservation agents or utilizing the help option, which provides step by step instructions on how to book travel online.

"We continue to seek out new and innovative ways to provide even better service for our customers," said Dion Flannery, vice president, scheduling, route planning and Internet distribution, America West Airlines. "This new online tool provides our customers with an easier and more convenient way of receiving quick answers to complete their transaction. Those using dial-up connections no longer have to interrupt their Internet connection to have their questions answered by an expert on the phone."

The chat box technology is provided by InstantService(TM), a Seattle-based company that delivers hosted customer communications services to online businesses and call centers.

America West Airlines is the nation's second largest low-fare airline and the only carrier formed since deregulation to achieve major airline status. America West's 13,000 employees serve nearly 55,000 customers a day in 96 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica.

Click here to view the press release on America West Airlines' site.