Issue will be addressed "constructively"
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today (May 29) confirmed that it will comply with the court ruling ordering it to stop using Amadeus data in its PaxIS product.
In a statement to ABTN, the airline association said: "We are currently reviewing this decision to evaluate its actual scope and impact and to determine the next steps to be taken.
"IATA is communicating directly with its customers, members and relevant industry bodies, as appropriate, throughout this process.
"IATA has engaged in discussions with the proper authorities and has presented its arguments in the proper forum.
"We intend to continue addressing this matter constructively with a view of fostering competition for the benefit of the airline industry and ultimately, for the benefit of all travellers.''
The International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration this week backed Amadeus' claim that IATA's use of its data constituted a breach of its contractual agreements with Amadeus and also infringed Amadeus' rights under the EU Database Directive."
It ordered IATA to stop using the data.
PaxIS (Passenger Intelligence Services) is a product developed by IATA's Business Intelligence Service to provide airlines with "more accurate, reliable and affordable data captured through IATA Billing and Settlement Plan."
Opponents of the product have described it as breaching confidentiality for gain.
IATA did not say in its statement where the court ruling left PaxIS or whether it planned s to stop using similar data from other GDSs, like Sabre Galileo or Worldspan.
Sabre said today it had a "very similar" case with IATA due to be heard in a court in Canada "very soon."
Travelport GDS, which owns Galileo and Worldspan, said it was watching the situation closely.
www.amadeus.com www.iata.org