1. EU GDS Code of Conduct: State of Play Leuven, 6 December 2011

2. Introduction ➔ ETTSA: European Technology & Travel Services Association ➔ Founded in 2009 to represent Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) at pan-European level ➔ Membership: ➔ GDSs: Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport ➔ OTAs: ebookers/Orbitz, Expedia, Lastminute.com, OdigeO incl. its brands Opodo, Govoyages and eDreams ➔ Supporting Partners: ATPCO, OAG ➔ Mission: To maintain full transparency, fair competition and consumer choice in the travel distribution chain

3. Overview of Independent Travel Distribution

4. The GDS Code of Conduct ➔ First GDS Code of Conduct in Europe in 1989 (Regulation 2299/89) ➔ Aim: Ensure fair competition between air carriers and between GDSs, in order to protect the interests of consumers ➔ Revision of Code in 2009: Regulation 80/2009, ensuring: ➔ Fair relationships between GDSs and transport providers ➔ Pricing freedom leading to lower costs for transport providers and, ultimately, travellers ➔ Equal access to distribution facilities ➔ Clear, neutral displays that do not mislead consumers ➔ Robust protection of personal data ➔ Provision of adequate data by transport providers so that GDSs can comply with their obligations under the Code

5. The GDS Code of Conduct: State of Play ➔ European Commission in the process of undertaking Fitness Check of GDS Code of Conduct ➔ Report in preparation by Steer Davies Gleave, circulation late 2011 or early 2011 ➔ Stakeholder consultation to gather comments on findings ➔ 2012: Commission deliberation on policy options

6. Value of the Code: ETTSA’s Perspective ➔ Code of Conduct is a robust piece of legislation that has enabled a functioning and effective independent travel distribution chain ➔ Revision in 2009 has led to greater pricing freedom, has benefited competition, and has led to lower prices for transport providers and travellers ➔ In its current review, Commission needs to take into account: ➔ Relevance of the Code to metasearch engines, incl. Google Flight ➔ Application of the Code to « direct connect »-type platforms and/or alliance and multi-supplier distribution tools

7. Conclusion ➔ Code of Conduct plays its role as a tool for consumer protection in the transport and travel market ➔ Scope needs to be considered as emerging distribution tools are biased by design ➔ Transparency in indirect distribution may incentivise direct distribution channel to improve transparency as well ➔ Deregulation is not an option as it would favour large powerful transport operators at the detriment of fair competition

8. Contact us ETTSA European Technology & Travel Services Association Rue Defacqz 52, 1050 Brussels, Belgium Christoph Klenner, Secretary General Tel.: +32 (0)2 645 79 91, Mobile: +32 (0)478 410 064 E-mail: cklenner@ettsa.eucklenner@ettsa.eu Web: www.ettsa.euwww.ettsa.eu