Sabre and American Airlines agreed to shelve their pending litigation until June 1, 2011, in the hopes of reaching a new GDS contract, which is slated to expire in September 2011.
This means American Airlines' displays in Sabre will not be biased during this period and Sabre will roll back the increased booking fees it began charging the airline in early January.
Here's the joint statement from the two parties:
"American Airlines and Sabre have agreed to put the litigation between the two companies on hold until June 1, 2011.
"American Airlines and Sabre will begin work shortly in an effort to reach a new agreement. Both parties will return to operating as they were prior to Jan. 5, 2011, in terms of Sabre displays, American Airlines content and economic terms.
"Officials at American Airlines and Sabre will not have any further comment on this announcement at this time."
American Airlines had won a temporary restraining order barring Sabre from biasing the airline's flights in the Sabre GDS, but Sabre apparently still was charging the airline increased booking fees.
A hearing on the temporary restraining order had been scheduled for mid-February, but that has been shelved as the two sides get back to the bargaining table.
The two sides had been warring over American Airlines' direct-connect initiative and the reduced role GDSs would play in that scenario.