Major corporate travel companies are threatening to boycott easyJet on global distribution systems Amadeus and Travelport unless there is a cut in the €12 fee for a return booking.
The Guild of Travel Management Companies, representing the UK’s business travel giants, plans talks with easyJet and Amadeus this month. But it warned: “There is a suggestion that we boycott the GDS as far as no-frills flights are concerned.”
The GTMC said its members could continue to check fares by screen scraping and then book direct. However, easyJet has threatened travel agencies with court action if they continue this practice.
EasyJet became the first no-frills airline in the UK to appear on a GDS at the end of last year, acknowledging business travellers comprise an increasingly important part of its market.
However, GTMC chief executive Philip Carlisle said: “To charge the client far more than the tiny extra costs involved to the airline on fares already higher than the average no-frills price is adding insult to injury.
We hope to reach an amicable resolution. The no-frills airlines have a lot of limitations, but they could have a useful role in the market. However, they are not going to play any role at all at €12 extra a round trip.”
EasyJet charges €7.5 per single fare for a booking on Amadeus.