Airlines cannot sell hotel rooms on their website

killerwhale65 · Post by **killerwhale65** » 23 Feb 2006, 18:38

Virgin Express, SN Brussels Airlines, Ryanair, KLM and Air France are breaking the law. They sell on their respective websites also hotelrooms, and that is only allowed for travel agencies.

If the court follows this, these airlines will have to register themselves as a travel agency.

The investigation originated from a complaint by a travel agency.

Source: VRTnieuws.net

iechist · Post by **iechist** » 23 Feb 2006, 19:02

They don't sell the hotel rooms though. They redirect you to a site that does.

For example, KLM sends you to CNGHotels, who sell you the hotel room.

The airline takes a percentage of the sale.

heathrow · Post by **heathrow** » 24 Feb 2006, 05:13

that's silly. If they are infact breaking the law, it's hardly a horrible law to be breaking.

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » 24 Feb 2006, 10:18

iechist wrote:They don't sell the hotel rooms though. They redirect you to a site that does.

For example, KLM sends you to CNGHotels, who sell you the hotel room.

The airline takes a percentage of the sale.

I was thinking the same thing... Seems to me like the airlines won't have a problem with this complaint.

regi · Post by **regi** » 24 Feb 2006, 10:33

That law on restricted selling differs from country to country. But it is done over the internet.
The best thing those companies can do is let the authorities make a case of it and bring to court. The state will be slaughtered and big fines will have to be paid.

Post by **sn26567** » 24 Feb 2006, 11:14

iechist wrote:The airline takes a percentage of the sale...

... thus it must register as a travel agent. It seems logical!

TWA · Post by **TWA** » 24 Feb 2006, 11:45

Small travel agents keep on trying but at the end they will lose the battle...but I understand their struggle, they already lost commision on the sale of flights. (They used to have 9%/ticket).

Big tour operators, hotel chaines and car rental companies have also their own site where customers can buy their holiday online. To create an extra point of sale they make agreements with airlines companies etc. ...

iechist · Post by **iechist** » 24 Feb 2006, 14:32

sn26567 wrote:... thus it must register as a travel agent. It seems logical!

No.

It's an advertising commission.

I can do the same thing with Amazon. If I own a website and include a link to them, they'll give a percentage (4%?) of all sales made through the link. That doesn't make me a book-seller. I am getting paid for referrals to their site.