Around half of global travel buyers have decreased bookings with Lufthansa since it implemented its €16 GDS booking fee.
A study from GBTA of 434 buyers representing an estimated $44 billion in travel spend found that 42 per cent have slowed down bookings and 39 per cent are seeking alternative airlines.
On September 1, the Lufthansa Group implemented a €16 per booking surcharge on travel purchased anywhere other than its websites, service centers and airport ticket counters.
The announcement has been met with fierce criticism from the industry with ITM, GTMC and several large TMCs among those voicing their disapproval at the charge.
“We believe that the booking surcharge strategy has effectively backfired,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO.
“The resulting actions demonstrate the high value that travel buyers place in the existing distribution network. The efforts by Lufthansa to fragment the distribution system by artificially adding cost is not working.”
The study also found that 93 per cent are “not considering” the option to book directly on Lufthansa’s site and 39 per cent are seeking alternative carriers.
Only 2 per cent of those surveyed said they would book directly with Lufthansa to avoid the fee.
GBTA added the surcharge is a “direct price increase to managed travel programs with no corresponding benefit” and could “ultimately lead to decreased price transparency” if carried out by not only Lufthansa, but other airlines in the industry.
The online survey was conducted between October 14 and 19.