By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-946643.mp3
Dallas, TX – American Airlines has worked out a deal with Priceline.com for customers to book flights online. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports this follows a dispute the carrier has had with other online booking businesses.
Last month, American withdrew from the Orbitz travel website, saying it couldn't reach an agreement. Expedia soon dropped American Airlines from its listings, and so did Sabre. The online travel sites accused American of hurting comparison shoppers because potential American customers could now book flights only on American's web site. The carrier disagreed.
Ed Martelle, with American, says Priceline now allows comparison shopping using the company's own web technology.
Martelle: Our bookings overall haven't changed through all this brouhaha. That suggests potential American Airlines customers are finding us, with Priceline and Vegas.com on board now.
Martelle says American is still talking to Orbitz and others. But Sabre doesn't buy American's argument that price shoppers now have good options. It says American Airlines' approach takes the marketplace backwards.