Veteran Online Travel Pioneer Changes With The Times

   Travelocity turned 16 last month.  We sometimes think of themselves as, "one of the elderly companies in the space because we have been around since its inception...Yet 16 is quite young for a multi-billion dollar company," says Chief Executive Carl Sparks.  Travelocity was created in 1996 by the Sabre Group, then  part of American Airlines parent company, AMR Corporation.  In 2007 Sabre was taken private by Texas Pacific Group and Silver Lake Partners in a $5-billion deal.  Travelocity first offered travel content to consumers browsing the Web with 28.8 Kbps modems.  Since Sparks took the top job a year ago, he and his executive team have refocused the Southlake, Texas company on hotel products, build-your-own vacation packages, and mobile devices.  In February the company launched its first iPad app.  And, it is heavily promoting its "Travelocity Guarantee", under which Travelocity will match any lower price and give the customer $50 off another trip.  See also, http://www.wired.com/.