Airfare website disputes spread

American Airlines grounded on second website
American Airlines flights can no longer be booked on the Expedia travel website because of a feud between the two companies. The third-largest U.S. carrier pulled itself off the website Orbitz earlier last month - and in a show of solidarity, rival Expedia downgraded American's prominence on the site. Now Expedia has booted American altogether - so consumers who want to compare prices will need to use another site. American has been trying to take more control over how its flight and fare info...

Out of site: Expedia drops American Airlines as travelers
The days of finding the best airfare bargains with just a click could be numbered. After burying American Airlines' airfares on its website last week - in retaliation for the carrier pulling out of Orbitz.com - Expedia has now officially kicked American to the curb altogether. The move follows Delta Airlines ditching three relatively small travel websites last week, making it that much harder for travelers to search online for the cheapest prices possible - and generating concern that other ma...

Expedia dumps American Airlines listings
NEW YORK | Sun Jan 2, 2011 3:44pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online travel agency Expedia Inc has dropped tickets for American Airlines from its listings, charging that the airline's new commercial strategy is "anti-consumer" and "anti-choice." The move, made over the weekend, is the latest development in a feud between the airline and agencies such as Expedia and Orbitz. American removed its listings and other features from Orbitz last month, saying it needed to cut distribution costs. It also...

Expedia dumps top airline over anti-choice strategy
Stumble This! NEW YORK - Online travel agency Expedia Inc has dropped tickets for American Airlines from its listings, charging that the airline's new commercial strategy is "anti-consumer" and "anti-choice." The move, made over the weekend, is the latest development in a feud between the airline and agencies such as Expedia and Orbitz. American removed its listings and other features from Orbitz last month, saying it needed to cut distribution costs. It also contended the model used by online ...

No More American Airlines on Expedia
NEW YORK - The dispute between American Airlines and travel websites is escalating. Expedia has stopped selling tickets on American Airlines flights. The airline says people who want to compare flights or fares should visit other travel sites. American has said it wants to sell more tickets through its own website. Paying to have its flights listed on sites like Expedia can be costly, since Airlines pay a commission every time people search a particular flight, look up a fare or book a trip. Las...

American still talking to Orbitz about listings
American Airlines says it's talking to Orbitz and Expedia about resuming the listing of American flights on the travel websites. But an American Airlines official said Tuesday there are no immediate plans to restore listings on Orbitz. American pulled its flight listings from Orbitz when the two companies couldn't agree to a new contract. Expedia made American flights harder for consumers to find, then dropped them completely over the weekend. Expedia did not immediately respond to requests for ...

Expedia pulls the plug on American Airline tickets
Expedia Inc. has stopped selling tickets on American Airlines flights, the latest twist in a simmering pricing dispute between American and travel websites. “Expedia has chosen to no longer offer American Airlines fares on its website,” American said in an statement posted on its website. “Customers looking to compare flights or fares online should visit other travel sites such as Kayak.com or Priceline.com for the most accurate and up-to-date information.” The Fort Worth...

Expedia & Orbitz Drop American Airlines
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Online travel firm Expedia drops American Airlines
"American Airlines is attempting to introduce a new direct connect model that will result in higher costs and reduced transparency for consumers, making it difficult to compare American Airlines ticket prices and options with offerings by other airlines," it added. The airlines' AA Direct Connect model "would Compromise travel agents? ability to provide travelers with the best selection," said Expedia, adding the new commercial strategy "we believe is anti-consumer and anti-choice". Expedia's ...

Expedia dumps American Airlines listings
The move, made over the weekend, is the latest development in a feud between the airline and agencies such as Expedia and Orbitz. American removed its listings and other features from Orbitz last month, saying it needed to cut distribution costs. It also contended the model used by online travel agencies prevents it from offering the lowest possible fares. In a statement e-mailed to Reuters on Sunday, Expedia said it had been unable to reach an agreement with American "due to American Airlines'...

Expedia dumps American Airlines tickets, schedules
The move, made over the weekend, is the latest development in a feud between the airline and agencies such as Expedia and Orbitz. American removed its listings and other features from Orbitz last month, saying it needed to cut distribution costs. It also contended the model used by online travel agencies prevents it from offering the lowest possible fares. In a statement e-mailed to Reuters on Sunday, Expedia said it had been unable to reach an agreement with American "due to American Airlines'...

Online travel firm Expedia drops American Airlines
"American Airlines is attempting to introduce a new direct connect model that will result in higher costs and reduced transparency for consumers, making it difficult to compare American Airlines ticket prices and options with offerings by other airlines," it added. The airlines' AA Direct Connect model "would Compromise travel agents? ability to provide travelers with the best selection," said Expedia, adding the new commercial strategy "we believe is anti-consumer and anti-choice". Expedia's an...

Why Are Big Airlines Shunning Some Travel Websites?
The ease of using a travel website to search across all carriers for the cheapest flight available may be in jeopardy. A few major Airlines have begun forbidding some websites from listing their flights. Some people might think that this is odd -- why wouldn't Airlines be excited about the opportunity to have their fares exposed to more consumer eyeballs by being listed on such site? The answer is a little complicated and depends on who you talk to. Two of the big names distancing themselves fr...

Expedia Drops American Airlines Tickets
(NewsCore) - Expedia no longer offers tickets for American Airlines flights on its website, according to an airline statement Sunday, marking the latest development in a feud between American and travel websites. The removal of American flights from Expedia’s listings came after American pulled its listings from Expedia’s competitor Orbitz Worldwide on Dec. 21, citing an inability to "reach a mutually beneficial agreement." In its statement, American recommended travelers "visit othe...

No extra penalty for AA's handling of plane data
DALLAS (AP) - Federal officials say they're continuing their investigation of an American Airlines jet that slid off a runway in Jackson Hole, Wyo., but the airline won't immediately face any additional penalties for improperly copying data from the jet's Flight Recorder. American Airlines took the plane's digital flight data recorder to Tulsa, Okla., where technicians downloaded the information before turning the device over to investigators as required by federal rules. Federal officials say...

No extra penalty for AA's handling of plane data
Federal officials said Tuesday that they're continuing their investigation of an American Airlines jet that slid off a runway in Jackson Hole, Wyo., but the airline won't immediately face any additional penalties for improperly copying data from the jet's Flight Recorder. American Airlines took the plane's digital flight data recorder to Tulsa, Okla., where technicians downloaded the information before turning the device over to investigators as required by federal standards. Federal officials s...

WEB WAR: EXPEDIA Drops AMERICAN AIRLINES in Price Dispute...
The move by Expedia widens the conflict between online travel agencies and Airlines that seek to drive more consumers to their own websites. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Expedia Inc. removed American Airlines’ airfares from its travel website today, claiming the pricing model the third-largest U.S. carrier developed may raise costs and cut transparency for passengers. The new model is “anti-consumer and anti-choice,” making it harder to compare American ticket prices...

How the DMV Undermines Democracy, Part II
When the appointed day finally came, in mid-October, I broke the law and drove my car to the DMV office. Again, there was a long line of people extending out of the front door. Many had appointments but because the sign tells everyone to stand in the same line, those with appointments were needlessly wasting their time doing so. Having endured this farce on my first visit, I knew that there was an “appointment line” parallel to the end of the huge line (from the back, it looks like a...

Orbitz names former Crocs executive as new CFO
Orbitz Worldwide Inc., the online travel company, said Monday it has named Russ Hammer as its new chief financial officer, replacing retiring CEO Marsh Williams. Hammer was previously the CFO of Crocs Inc. His appointment was effective as of the start of 2011. Williams' planned Retirement was announced in June. She had been with the company since 2007. Who is afraid of the Repeal Amendment? Who is afraid of the Repeal Amendment? ...

Orbitz Worldwide Appoints Russ Hammer as Chief Financial Officer
CHICAGO, Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: OWW) today announced the appointment of Russ Hammer as the company's Chief Financial Officer, effective January 1, 2011.  Previously, Russ was Chief Financial Officer at Crocs, Inc.  Russ succeeds Marsha Williams, whose planned Retirement was announced in June 2010. "I am delighted to welcome Russ Hammer to Orbitz Worldwide as Chief Financial Officer," said Barney Harford, CEO and president of Orbitz Worldwide. "Russ H...

The Little Brother Arrives in Miami
Ernesto Morales Licea has arrived in Miami. Here is his first post from his new home. In this moment as I write, sleeping very close to me is my niece Elizabeth. I must be aware of her angelic dream: she is only nine days old. The magical aura of helplessness surrounding her cradle, her woman-in-miniature expression, inspires a protective tenderness that is, I believe, universal. But I can’t stop thinking of something, in this moment while I type the first of my blog posts from the United ...

National Transportation Safety Board: American Airlines Mishandled Skidded Plane Data
Yahoo! News: Federal officials investigating an incident in which an American Airlines jet went off the end of a runway say the airline improperly downloaded information from the plane's Flight Recorder before turning it over to the government. Read the whole story: Yahoo! News Get HuffPost Travel On Twitter and Facebook! ...

Will Richard Branson's Virgin America fly?
On a sunny, windswept December morning, Virgin America kicked off a day of festivities along the otherwise unfestive runways of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Four longhorn cattle lolled in a pen while dignitaries such as Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert lunched on pulled pork and ribs. The main attraction was the host, 60-year-old Sir Richard Branson, Billionaire bon vivant and founder of the Virgin Group. While he was at the center of the celebration, he was also making an incursion into ...

NTSB: American Airlines mishandled plane data
Federal officials investigating an incident in which an American Airlines jet went off the end of a runway have banned the carrier from participating in the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board took that step because of what it calls a "breach of protocol" by American after Flight 2253 went past the end of a runway on Wednesday at Wyoming's Jackson Hole Airport. No one was injured. The NTSB says American Airlines technicians improperly downloaded flight data recorder informati...

NTSB: American Airlines mishandled plane data
Federal officials investigating an incident in which an American Airlines jet went off the end of a runway have banned the carrier from participating in the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board took that step because of what it calls a "breach of protocol" by American after Flight 2253 went past the end of a runway on Wednesday at Wyoming's Jackson Hole Airport. No one was injured. The NTSB says American Airlines technicians improperly downloaded flight data recorder informa...