Update: Orbitz Worldwide announced today that it has extended its content agreements with American Airlines through October 31, 2012. They had been slated to expired on March 31, 2012.
The original post follows:
Put the possibility of booking surcharges and content dropping off the face of the earth on hold -- American Airlines and Travelport GDS have extended their content agreements through "late 2012," the companies say.
This means that travel agents and corporations accessing American Airlines' schedules, fares and other inventory through the Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan global distribution systems will continue to be able to do so under the same terms as before, the companies say.
Last year, Travelport and American Airlines had extended their expiring agreement into 2012, but without specifying when in 2012 the truce would expire.
So, the extension of the extension takes the truce into the latter stages of 2012.
Sabre had already extended its agreements with American Airlines through two weeks following a disposition of the parties' antitrust case in a state court trial in Texas. That trial is slated to kick off in August.
The timing of the Travelport-American Airlines extension likewise seems to revolve around the conclusion of the litigation.
Meanwhile, in October 2011 Amadeus announced a "mid-term" extension of its content agreement with American Airlines.
And, Amadeus is not providing any additional details on when that pact may end.