A Texas judge has ruled that Sabre Holdings Corp. cannot stop American Airlines (AMR) from seeking a court order to bar Sabre from diminishing the position of AMR’s flight listings. American is seeking an injunction to stop Sabre from listing the airline’s flights beneath competitors routinely. While AMR has won the most recent court round, passengers may lose in the end.
Orbitz Stock Into Orbit With American Airlines Verdict
For all those investors who emailed to ask me if the American Airlines slash Orbitz fight would be a game changer, the news today of skyrocketing Orbitz stock prices is as good an answer as any. Orbitz Worldwide Inc. bounced shares upward on an Illinois court reversal of their case against American Airlines. The court ordered American to resume selling flights via the online travel agency.
US Government Approves Google-ITA Deal
The Department of Justice has approved a $700 million deal that will see Google acquire ITA Software, a travel technology company. The DoJ released a detailed ruling outlining the approval, along with some restrictions. As part of the deal, Google must license QPX software from ITA to airfare websites under “commercially reasonable terms”, continue to […]
Google People Finder Helps Locate Japan Quake Victims
The powerful earthquake that rocked Japan and sent 30-foot-high tsunamis crashing into the shores has left many travelers in the region disoriented, frightened, and, in some cases, missing loved ones. Google is now featuring its “People Finder” once again, which has helped some local residents and travelers in the area locate each other. The interface […]
Join Google and Women on the Bridge This Women’s Day
From the Millenium Bridge in London, to Brooklyn Bridge, on the Golden Gate and to the far reaches of the world – literally – Google, and many others, stand together to try and improve the lives of women around the world.
Bing-Kayak: Travel Search or Dumb Meets Dumber?
The still raging war for online travel supremacy continues with news from Microsoft and Kayak. The pending sale of ITA to Google has spurred some fairly ridiculous allegiances and deals, not the least of which is the latest Bing “slash” Kayak pairing. Let’s face it, Microsoft has already spent two king’s ransoms trying to beat Google, and now this?
Stay.com Lets Users Roll Their Own Travel
Norwegian travel startup Stay.com release their version 2.3. As a mid-term development release, what Stay offered up was fairly significant. Stay.com affords users unparalelled tools for building, sharing, and printing their own personal travel literature, and great hotel deals as well.
Online Travel Warfare To End Soon
The war in online travel over basically who gets what & when continues this week with Delta Airlines snatching seats from Rick Seaney’s FareCompare, American Airlines going hog wild trying to engage on their own, and Google outlining (see Matt Cutts video below) how they can manually crucify websites for SPAM. Meanwhile travelers just want some price break justice.
Cease Fire Called In Online Travel Wars
The ceasefire between American Airlines and GDS giant Sabre signals an “all quiet” moment on the front lines of the online travel wars we have been covering. The announcement that the two companies would attempt to resolve their differences out of court, at least until June 1st, calmed the churning business cauldron for online travel for some.
Ticket Prices Skyrocket – Google Shrugs
The online travel war between OTA’s, airlines, and other interested parties has grown into an industry damaging PR nightmare. American Airlines, Google, Expedia, all the major players may not realize how frustrating their power moves are for the little people. These companies are jeopardizing their own future, and that of developers all over the world.
A Savory Set of Travel Startups: Book One
Some really great online travel sites never even get mentioned. What with all the stories about American Airlines, Google, Expedia, Orbitz, Microsoft, even Bing, how is the consumer ever to know who the best is. What we often see is not innovation or anything approaching the best, it’s marketing and big business.
Justice Department Poised to Nix Google Deal
The Justice Department stands poised to nix Google’s acquisition of ITA proprietary software as FairSearch and other entities press the issue. Is Google becoming a monopoly? This is the overriding question on the minds of consumers, but what is on the government’s mind, this is what counts. With American Airlines’ recent ITA deal, exactly how will the Justice Department deal with the immense pressures being leveled? This online travel war is a far bigger confrontation than many realize.
Getting There and Carried Away Airlines
The recent war between online travel agents and major airlines heats up still more. But for the travel consumer, how will all this soap opera posturing effect prices and value? The answer is fairly simple, prices will go up, and services will go down. The trend to cut everything from jet fuel to aspirin is in place, and only a paradigm shift can alter that. Comparison pricing is the only consumer weapon for value. Expedia, Google, American Airlines, the customer, what is best for business only the customer can say.
Gunfight At the Google Travel Corral
Recent developments in online travel highlight the immense power the Internet has on traditional structures. Google’s ITA software deal is now the subject or power strokes in Washington. As Microsoft, Kayak, and Sabre vie for Senatorial support, Obama’s Attorney General select focus scrutiny on the deal.
Fear Google – Trust Expedia
Google’s detractors huddle in Phoenix at this year’s PhoCusWright Conference to try an lobby allies. Fearing Google’s ITA acquisition will forever change the online travel game, some top travel execs seem willing to do anything to block the Internet’s biggest player.