American accused of using lawsuit to help contract negotiations

The spat between American Airlines and Travelport continues as the technology company is now accusing the airline of using a current lawsuit to improve its bargaining power.

 

The two companies are at loggerheads as American is suing Travelport, which owns the Galileo and Worldspan GDS systems, in the US over a matter connected to anti-competition.

 

Travelport has told the court dealing with the battle: "Preliminary contract negotiations have stalled, and American Airlines has made good on its threat to file a lawsuit such as this one if Travelport did not yield on certain commercial terms.

"This is not a genuine antitrust action brought by consumers suffering from excessive or artificial price increases. It is an opportunistic lawsuit brought by a large and powerful company seeking to enhance its already substantial commercial bargaining leverage."

 

The case continues.

 

by Dinah Hatch