Orbitz, one of the leading Internet travel booking websites, is facing losses since American Airlines decided to sever its relationship.
That means, effectively immediately, users will no longer be able to search for the carrier's flights through the online travel search and booking site. AA subsidiary US Airways also will see its fares removed from Orbitz listings on Sept. 1.
The decision could affect the overall ability for Orbitz to deliver the best routes and options for American domestic travelers. American Airlines said that its listed fares will no longer be on the Orbitz site "effective immediately."
"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," AA president Scott Kirby said in American's announcement.
"While our fares are no longer on Orbitz, there are a multitude of other options available for our customers, including brick and mortar agencies, online travel agencies, and our own websites," Kirby said.
There was no further reason given for AA's removal of its fares, but as American airlines continue to increase prices and look for new ways to increase revenue, travel booking sites such as Orbitz have faced scrutiny over their pricing methods. AA and other airlines have become frustrated with ticket prices as costs of fuel and other airline-related services increase.
Orbitz confirmed AA's decision. "Our sites offer hundreds of airlines which are eager to capture the revenue American is choosing to forgo," said Chris Chiames, Orbitz vice president, "and we will continue to show our customers a broad range of flight options to thousands of destinations in the U.S. and worldwide."
The decision comes as other airlines are pushing out a number of new tech advances that should help streamline the time needed to check-in, Tech Times reports. AA may see a threat from United Airlines' new mobile feature that allows passengers to scan their passport and answer a few Customs questions to move quickly through immigration when arriving in the United States.
In many ways, American airlines are facing a number of setbacks and are seeing a decrease in passengers, who complain about the high prices. Many analysts are confounded by AA's move to take away its fares from the travel site, as online bookings have seen exponential growth over the past few years.
