Word: orbitz
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...boys want in. In June, American, United, Continental, Delta and Northwest launched Orbitz, a site that promises the lowest fares on the Web. Combined, the five airlines book more than 75% of domestic traffic. Just a month after its debut, Orbitz is already the sixth most popular travel site on the Web. Nearly 4 million people visited the site in June...
This smooth takeoff and ascent could be followed by turbulence. Orbitz is stirring up a storm by cutting deals it makes sure no one can beat. "Anticompetitive!" its rivals are screaming, and somebody is listening. Two dozen state attorneys general have voiced concerns that the site may engage in price fixing, stifle competition and put others out of business. The Department of Justice is investigating...
...Orbitz picked a great time to take flight. Travel sites, once bastions of do-it-yourselfers willing to spend hours ferreting out a bargain, have finally become easy enough for the rest of us to use. And unlike many other Web ventures, selling tickets online makes sense. With pricing and availability constantly changing, instant updates are essential. What's more, airlines save up to $20 a ticket in commissions, fees and mailing costs. "You're not shipping 40 lbs. of dog food across the country," says Internet analyst Henry Harteveldt of Forrester Research...
...conflict looks certain to escalate. Orbitz and its backers deny that they are doing anything wrong, while Southwest is receiving overt and covert backing from allies. For instance, the Interactive Travel Services Association, the trade association for online travel agents, has endorsed the lawsuit, saying that it aims "to protect millions of consumers from Orbitz's unfair and deceptive practices...
...Orbitz was recently cleared for takeoff by the Department of Transportation. But the progress of Southwest's suit will be closely watched by the Department of Justice and more than two dozen state attorneys general across the country who currently have Orbitz on their anti-trust radar screens...