American Airlines has been denied a temporary injunction by a Texas state court. This would have stopped Sabre's use of its New Airline Storefront display within GDS search results.
After a hearing the week before, Tarrant County judge Tom Lowe denied the claim. The denial was not explained by him.
American's case against Sabre continues to progress towards trial.
In June, Sabre sued the airline, claiming that its New Airline Storefront, developed by Delta Air Lines with assistance from Delta Air Lines and biased search results towards Delta, violates Sabre's contract.
Sabre responded by denying the breach-of contract allegation. It stated that a new storefront was important for agents and airlines due to the complexity of airfares. Sabre argued that the NAS display is transparenter than other search displays, as it reveals more information.
American is not only attempting to stop Sabre's use of the NAS display but also wants to prevent Sabre's payment of travel agent incentives for high-value Delta tickets. These are higher than the prices paid on comparable American tickets.
The flat segment fees that were standard in the airline-GDS commercial model have been eliminated by Delta under the contract between Sabre and Delta. Instead, Delta will adjust the amount it charges Sabre for each booking based on the booking's value.
Travelport entered into a similar agreement with Delta.
