European GDS regulations need "reasonable reform …but not wholesale removal," Gordon Wilson, president and ceo of international markets for Cendant TDS, said.
Mr Wilson said there must be continuing safeguards while three of Europe's largest airlines held a stake in the continent's biggest GDS, Amadeus and there was "still even the potential for distortion in the market."
He was speaking at a conference in Brussels by the C-FARE organisation which opposes outright de-regulation in Europe and attended by 80 delegates including agents, travel managers and airline and GDS executives.
Mr Wilson said the concept that everyone was moving towards online bookings – one of the arguments put forward by those who supported full de-regulation – was a myth.
He said online penetration was concentrated in the UK and Germany which accounted for 55% of online bookings in Europe. The next country was France with 14%.
The bulk of booking still went through GDSs.
Earlier Brandon Mitchener, executive director of C-FARE, called on the EC to assess fully the impact of de-regulation on the European travel distribution industry before making any decision on reform.
"Continuing airline ownership of the largest European CRS and airline consolidation in Europe makes it more important than ever for the Commission to maintain a minimum set of rules to protect European consumers," he said.
"There are clear and workable alternatives to the status quo and to full de-regulation that retain the most critical protections of these rules.
"As long as major European airlines continue to own stakes in a major CRS, sensible and balanced reforms are called for."
Rainer Klee, chairman of German agency and C-FARE member AERTiCKET said: "It is vitally important that the European Commission conduct a full and detailed analysis of the travel distribution industry in the enlarged EU.
"After a careful study, the Commission's proposal must balance the interests of all stakeholders – airlines, travel agents, CRSs – but above all European consumers, who deserve unfettered access to the best fares and travel options wherever they live in the EU."
* see BTE Analysis