ETTSA backs away from Multicom-Ryanair dispute

The European Technology and Travel Services Association has decided it will not offer lic support to companies involved in proceedings as a result of disagreements over travel technology and distribution. The ETTSA this week declined to back Multicom’s action against Ryanair brought to the European Commission earlier this year. The EC “accepted” a complaint by Multicom…

The European Technology and Travel Services Association has decided it will not offer lic support to companies involved in proceedings as a result of disagreements over travel technology and distribution.

The ETTSA this week declined to back Multicom’s action against Ryanair brought to the European Commission earlier this year.

The EC “accepted” a complaint by Multicom in April over alleged abuses of competition regulations by Ryanair and its stance against third parties scraping fares for their own websites.

ETTSA Secretary general Tom Parker said the organisation would not be commenting on individual cases including the Multicom-Ryanair proceedings.

He said that while the organisation “shared Multicom’s concerns”, it was unlikely to comment on the case despite its launch mandate to investigate “measures introduced by airlines to prevent online travel agencies from making price comparisons”.

Meanwhile, ETTSA is asking the European Commission to closely examine airline acquisitions and alliances.

The organisation has already thrown its support behind the Commission’s decision to look at Lufthansa’s deal to buy Austrian Airlines more fully.

ETTSA believes the acquisition could have an impact on consumers in terms of higher prices and reduced services as well as the wider travel distribution landscape.

Parker told Travolution: “When the European Commission looks at an alliance it should no longer just consider the route implications but also look at it from a travel distribution perspective.”