Travelport Ltd. just scored a court victory over American Airlines.
Travelport, which owns a 48% stake in Orbitz Worldwide Inc., said Sept. 22 that the Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the company's preliminary injunction against American Airlines on Sept. 21. The injunction preserves Orbitz's ability to sell American Airlines tickets on its website. The court also recognized Travelport's position that it should have continued full use of American Airlines content.
Additionally, the court ruled that Travelport has "standing to complain that American breached" its contract with Travelport. The company is seeking damages from American Airlines as a result of the airline terminating Orbitz's authority to issue American Airlines tickets.
Travelport said it intends to take its case to trial, but that it plans to continue to work "constructively" with American in the meantime.
An American Airlines spokesman told Bloomberg News in a Sept. 22 report that the company was evaluating its options following the court ruling. He added that American already was operating on a new interim agreement with Travelport under which the airline continues to work with Orbitz.
