US Airways never intended to fulfill its contract with Sabre Holdings, the Southlake-based travel distribution company said in an antitrust suit filed in federal court in New York on Friday.
Sabre, which distributes airline tickets and fares to travel agencies, alleged that US Airways did not negotiate in good faith in 2011 and intended to sue Sabre as soon as the new contract was signed.The lawsuit is a countersuit to an antitrust suit that US Airways filed against Sabre in April 2011, two months after the two parties had reached a new distribution agreement.At issue are fees that US Airways and other airlines pay the large travel reservation systems to display flights and make bookings. US Airways says that about $3.5 billion, or 35 percent, of its ticket revenue is booked through Sabre."US Airways acted maliciously and in bad faith, deliberately intending to invalidate the core terms of the agreement that it voluntarily signed so as to deprive Sabre of the benefits of the contract, rather than performing that contract in good faith," the lawsuit said.US Airways declined to comment on the countersuit.American Airlines filed a similar antitrust suit against Sabre in federal court in Texas in 2011. That case was settled out of court in October with American apparently receiving a $280 million payment from Sabre.Andrea Ahles, 817-390-7631Twitter: @Sky_TalkHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
