EU: Travel agents want regulators to probe Lufthansa

According to Reuters, Travel lobbying group ETTSA has urged EU antitrust regulators to investigate Lufthansa’s surcharges and other allegedly discriminatory measures against travel agents.

In their complaint to the European Commission the association said Lufthansa’s fees have cost consumers using independent distribution channels more than €1bn since 2015.

German online travel agent VIR is a joint complainant in the case. The European Technology and Travel Services Association (ETTSA’s) other members are Odigeo, Opodo, ebookers, eDreams, Sabre, Travelport and hotels.com, among others.

“LH (is) leveraging its dominant position on air transport services markets in Austria and Germany to control and manipulate the present and future distribution channels for LH and ultimately other carriers’ tickets,” the association said in its complaint. It said this penalized EU consumers in the short term as well as in the long run.

Full Content: Reuters

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