American and US Airways pull fares from Orbitz over fee dispute

Amid a feud over fees, American Airlines has stopped posting its fares on the travel website Orbitz.com and also plans to pull fares for US Airways next week.

American Airlines, which has merged with US Airways, said it has failed to reach an agreement over the fees the travel site charges to post and sell airfares.

“We have worked tirelessly with Orbitz to reach a deal with the economics that allow us to keep costs low and compete with low-cost carriers,” American Airlines president Scott Kirby said in a statement.

Orbitz said it’s business would not be impacted by American’s move.
“Our sites offer hundreds of airlines which are eager to capture the revenue American is choosing to forego,” the travel site said in a statement.

American Airlines officials declined to say more about the dispute or explain the timing behind it. American said it is also pulling fares from Cheaptickets.com, a subsidiary of Orbitz.com.

Reservations already made through Orbitz will be honored but any changes must be made directly with American Airlines or US Airways.

It is not the first time American has tangled with Orbitz. The Texas-based airline pulled its fares from Obitz in 2010 in a spat over the airline’s efforts to gain more control over the sale of extra passenger services it offers to travelers, such as meals and Wi-Fi access.

The travel website was created in 1999 in a collaboration by the nation’s largest carriers, including American Airlines, in response to the rise of websites like Travelocity and Expedia.

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