Amex GBT Pushes Back Against DOJ Lawsuit Over CWT Acquisition

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has strongly criticized the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust lawsuit aiming to block its proposed $570 million acquisition of travel management company CWT. In a response filed earlier this week, Amex GBT described the DOJ’s legal action as a “blatant politicised effort to bring one final anti-business merger challenge” during the waning days of the Biden administration.

According to a statement from Amex GBT, the DOJ’s findings represent “a rushed, apparently politically motivated complaint,” as the transaction is expected to close in March, at which point the Trump administration will oversee regulatory matters. The company contended that the lawsuit distorts the current competitive dynamics of the industry by relying on “cherry-picked facts, isolated examples, and stale, out-of-context statements.”

Read more: DOJ Sues to Block $570 Million Deal Between AMEX GBT and CWT

The acquisition has also come under scrutiny from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is expected to issue a final ruling within the next two weeks. Like the DOJ, the CMA has raised concerns about limited competition among agencies serving global and multinational clients. However, Amex GBT dismissed these claims, asserting that the DOJ’s analysis “gerrymanders a contrived market” by narrowly focusing on global companies without demonstrating that these customers receive unique services or share similar needs.

Per a statement from Amex GBT, “at least six TMCs meet the requirements of large customers as frequently as CWT.” The company further disputed allegations that the merger would restrict technology choices or compel clients to use its proprietary platforms, such as Egencia and Neo, emphasizing that it plans to continue supporting third-party technologies.

Addressing additional DOJ claims regarding its adoption of New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards, Amex GBT pointed to its “extensive efforts” to promote NDC adoption. According to the company, its program currently includes 16 countries and partnerships with 20 airlines, a sign of its commitment to advancing the standard across the travel industry.

Source: BTN