European business travel agents have approved a plan to set up a pilot project into an alternative accreditation and settlement system to the existing IATA scheme.
Michel de Blust, general secretary of the Guild of European Business Travel Agents (GEBTA), said he hoped the pilot project could be underway by late 2005 or early in 2006.
The GEBTA decision could mark a turning point in its battle with IATA to persuade the airline cartel to update it rules which date back to the 1940s.
The agents appointed consultants to carry out a feasibility study into whether an alternative system could work after talks with IATA and the EC in the summer yielded little progress.
After interviews and questionnaires with airlines, agents, a GDS, an IT provider and three major banks, they recommended an alternative scheme was realistic.
Mr de Blust said there was a demand for such a scheme from agents who did not like the cost of the current accreditation and settlement systems and also “clear interest” from both full service and low cost carriers and from car rental companies.
He said there was also clear interest from the three banks, the GDS and the IT provider which said it technologically possible to set up a European-wide scheme.
GEBTA members approved the findings at their meeting late last week.
Mr De Blust said the second phase of the campaign, which would take place between January-March, 2005 was to consider a legal structure for the project, finance and a “level of commitment” from the airlines.
He thought the scheme would need 2m to be launched which he said was “not a massive sum.”
Mr de Blust said the one main problem facing GEBTA was “the other player in the market – IATA”
He said: “I would not expect IATA to co-operate in its own suicide so there might be some resistance from them.
“We believe that there is room for everyone and that it might make senses for IATA to co-operate at a later date.
“But we are not expecting any co-operation now. It enjoys a monopoly from a system that produces a net profit for it every year,” he said.