• April 30, 2008

Orbitz says the lawsuit filed by Vanguard Car Rental, which owns and operates the Alamo and National brands, was filed because Vanguard is apparently upset with the way that Orbitz sorts its search results, which provides Orbitz's customers with valued rental car choices.

Vanguard wants those results to be sorted in a way that is not required, and which would take away reservations from other valued suppliers, Orbitz said. "The bottom line is that Vanguard is trying to use a lawsuit to get a sorting result from Orbitz that Vanguard and Orbitz did not agree to. In short, Vanguard is trying to use its lawsuit to get something for nothing."

Vanguard is alleging that Orbitz is willfully violating their online listing agreement, and is thereby misleading consumers and inflicting millions of dollars in damage on Alamo's and National's business.

--Nina M. Lentini