Amadeus has responded to claims from IATA that the travel
tech company is "holding back" the development of the NDC technology
standard.
The distribution giant has written to Blane Workie, the U.S.
Transportation Department assistant general counsel, to "set the record
straight" following a presentation from IATA on April 4 at the Aviation
Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.
IATA's presentation accuses GDSs of "anticompetitive
conduct" and points to the investigation by the European Commission
launched in November 2018 to look at whether agreements between booking system
providers Amadeus and Sabre and travel agents are "in breach of antitrust
rules."
In its letter, Amadeus says IATA has created the current
situation of adoption of the NDC standard "difficult and costly for the
whole industry."
The GDS goes on to say that is has been "actively
engaged with IATA and industry stakeholders" on NDC since August 2014 and
points to recent comments from IATA on positive relationships with GDSs.
The letter then sets out to address in detail the
allegations from IATA including GDS "market power," anticompetitive
business practices and being a block to innovation.
It concludes by describing IATA's representation of GDSs as "inaccurate,
misleading and disappointing."
On why the GDS took so long to write to the DOT, an Amadeus
spokesperson says: "We felt it important to carefully review and consider
the contents of the IATA presentation before responding."
The Travel Technology Association, a U.S. lobbying group for
distribution and online travel companies, said in its response in early May
that IATA's comments were not "fact-based" and "counterproductive."
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Source: PhocusWire