Organisations opposing the total de-regulation of GDSs in Europe have again hit out at alleged
European Commission plans to scrap quietly the “time-tested CRS code of conduct.”
The American-based Business Travel Coalition (BTC) called the plan "misguided."
It also said the plan put at "great risk" the current policy which stopped the identification, through MIDT tapes, of corporate customers.
The Brussels-based Coalition for Fair Access to Reservations in Europe (C-FARE) also denounced what it called plans to scrap travel choice.
Brandon Mitchener, executive director of C-FARE whose supporters include Sabre, Galileo and BA, said: "This initiative makes a mockery of the European Commission's stated drive to promote 'better regulation.'
"If these rules disappear, the Commission will be directly responsible for destroying a critical component of the travel and tourism industry in Europe."
BTC quoted Mike Perkin, Cisco Systems' travel manager EMEA as saying: "The current rules have worked exceptionally well to ensure that corporations have optimal levels of content, adequate competition among CRSs, minimal barriers to entry for low-cost and network new-entrant airlines and unbiased travel management companies.
"To abandon these rules would represent a major setback for travel industry competition and buyer and seller efficiencies resulting in greater complexity and cost for all participants."
Opponents of plans to de-regulate totally the GDSs in Europe fear that the EC is trying to slip them through as part of a mass package to scrap some 1,400 rules and regulations.
The fear is that any "rushed" reform will not include mandatory participation by all GDSs in fully displaying content, as recommended by the Brattle Group Report on de-regulation.
It arises over the fact that one of the GDSs, Amadeus is still partly owned by three airlines, Air France, Lufthansa and Iberia which are all dominant in their home market and might only distribute through Amadeus. The GDS has however has said that this will not happen.