Orbitz Worldwide, which was ITA Software's first customer, renewed an agreement to use ITA's airfare search product on Orbitz.com and sister site CheapTickets.com through 2015.
So, what about concerns about the future of ITA Software's QPX product if Google succeeds in buying the company?
"In entering into this agreement we considered the potential impact of Google acquiring ITA," says Orbitz spokesman Brian Hoyt. "We are satisfied with our agreement with ITA whether they remain independent or are acquired by Google, and have disclosed the relevant terms of that agreement in our 8-k filing. We are not going to disclose additional terms for competitive reasons nor are we going to speculate about how Google might use ITAs technology within their search solution."
So a key issue raised by opponents of Google's acquisition of ITA Software is that ITA wouldn't make available to customers key upgrades to QPX.
On that issue, Orbitz states: "ITA will provide the Company with access to the most up-to-date functionality related to QPX that ITA makes generally available to all of its customers."
That statement may give some ammunition to deal opponents who are concerned that Google and ITA would retain premium upgrades to QPX for their use in Google Travel and that ITA customers would get access to a second tier of revisions.
Orbitz disclosed last week that it reached an agreement with parent company Travelport enabling Orbitz to use ITA's QPX product beyond the end of 2011.
Orbitz also agreed it would use Travelport's e-Pricing product, which competes with ITA's QPX, on Orbitz Worldwide European sites through 2014.
The Orbitz-ITA Software agreement had been slated to expire at the end of 2011. Under the new 2012-2015 agreement, Orbitz Worldwide would continue to use QPX on Orbitz.com and CheapTickets.com.
Orbitz Worldwide agreed to continue to pay ITA annual license and maintenance fees. In addition, Orbitz agrees to pay ITA a Passenger Name Record fee when the number of PNRs exceeds an annual threshold.