In American Airlines Inc. v. Travelport Ltd. et al., Northern District of Texas Judge Terry R. Means ruled American Airlines Inc. claim that Sabre Holdings Corp., Travelport Ltd., and Orbitz Worldwide Inc. affiliate conspired to exclude the airline’s AA Direct Connect system from the flight booking market.
The motion to dismiss claimed that American’s allegations failed to establish a conspiracy. But the court explained that “American identifies the specific intent to monopolize allegedly shared by Sabre, Travelport, and Orbitz,” and alleges “facts that . . . support a reasonable inference of an industry-wide conspiracy [among the defendants] and other travel agencies and trade associations.”