Expedia

Expedia Inc. is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, based in Seattle.[1] The website and mobile app can be used to book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruise ships, and vacation packages. Expedia.com was launched on October 22, 1996 by Microsoft.[2]

This article is about the Expedia.com travel website and mobile app. For the parent company, see Expedia Group.
Expedia Inc.
Expedia.com logo
Type of businessSubsidiary
Type of site
Travel agency
Metasearch engine
Available inEnglish
OwnerExpedia Group
URLwww.expedia.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationYes
LaunchedOctober 22, 1996 (1996-10-22)
Current statusActive

History
Main article: Expedia Group § History

Sponsorships

Starting the 2018-21 cycle, Expedia Group became the first-ever global sponsor of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup as Expedia extends to another season until 2024 and Hotels.com will end the sponsorship after 2021-22 season.[3] Starting the pandemic-hit 2020-21 season, Expedia struck the deal with the 2020 English champions, Liverpool F.C. as a global sponsor of the website in 3 seasons until 2023.

Delays in refunds of flights cancelled due to COVID-19

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, customers complained regarding the process to get refunds for cancelled flights. Customers complained of excessively long call times and being unable to get through to a representative.[4] This led to many lawsuits.[5][6]

Involvement in Israeli settlements
See also: List of companies operating in West Bank settlements

On February 12, 2020, Expedia Group was included on a list of companies operating in West Bank settlements involved in activities that "raised particular human rights concerns" published by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The company was categorized under "the provision of services and utilities supporting the maintenance and existence of settlements".[7][8] The international community considers Israeli settlements built on land occupied by Israel to be in violation of international law.[9][10][11]

False advertising and trademark violation

In August 2016, Buckeye Tree Lodge and Sequoia Village Inn, LLC filed a class-action lawsuit in California accusing the company and its partners of violating trademark rights of numerous independent hotel and motel establishments by running advertising implying that consumers could book reservations for those hotels on Expedia even though Expedia had no relationship with those hotels, in violation of the Lanham Act, and also falsely noting that hotels with which the company had no relationship were "sold out".[12] In April 2021, the lawsuit was settled and the company promised not to engage in false advertising.[13]

References
  1. "Look inside the new Expedia HQ in Seattle and company's commuting policy". KING-TV. October 8, 2019.
  2. "Microsoft Expedia Travel Services Debuts on the Web". Microsoft. October 22, 1996.
  3. "Expedia Group extends UEFA Champions League partnership" (Press release). Nyon: UEFA. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  4. Ulrich, Todd (February 5, 2021). "Consumers grow frustrated with Expedia over COVID-19 refunds". WFTV.
  5. "Traveler sues Expedia for refusing refunds on canceled flights during COVID-19 pandemic". USA Today. September 9, 2020.
  6. RENDA, MATTHEW (August 19, 2016). "Hotels Accuse Expedia, Orbitz of Brazen Deceit". Courthouse News Service.
  7. "UN rights office issues report on business activities related to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. February 12, 2020.
  8. "Database of all business enterprises involved in certain activities relating to Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank (A/HRC/43/71)". ReliefWeb. February 14, 2020.
  9. "S/RES/2334(2016)". United Nations Security Council. December 23, 2016.
  10. "Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory" (PDF). International Court of Justice. July 9, 2004.
  11. "Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention". International Committee of the Red Cross. December 5, 2001.
  12. "Buckeye Tree Lodge and Sequoia Village Inn, LLC v. Expedia, Inc. et al". Justia. August 17, 2016.
  13. IOVINO, NICHOLAS (April 9, 2021). "Expedia Settles False Advertising Class Action With Hotels". Courthouse News Service.

Further reading
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