New Flight Pattern for Online Travel Rivalry

(Beijing) – The business of selling airline tickets and resort vacations to China's holiday-happy consumer class is now a battleground for Internet giants, following a deal that builds muscle for Ctrip.com International Ltd.

Ctrip was already the country's biggest online travel agency before announcing a share-swap agreement on October 27 that gave it virtual control of traveler services provider Qunar Cayman Islands Ltd., a subsidiary of the Internet search giant Baidu Inc.