Until now, the computer reservation systems used to distribute air tickets provided to airlines marketing data including a complete breakdown of each travel agent's sales. This allowed airlines to maintain tight control over individual travel agents and to put pressure on travel agents concerning their bookings.

The new EU Regulation on computerised reservation systems (CRSs) for the distribution of passenger transport will introduce new rules throughout the EU from 29 March 2009. It will prohibit that marketing data provided to carriers identify travel agents, corporate clients or travellers. This will apply to the marketing data made available by CRSs (so called “MIDTs”) and by any other party, notably IATA (International Air Transport Association).

By exception, the identification of a travel agent may be possible, if the latter has agreed explicitly on the conditions for the appropriate use of the data. In any case, carriers will not be allowed to use the data to influence a travel agent.

Besides, the EU Regulation renews safeguards against distortions in the use of CRSs by carriers that control or participate in the capital of a CRS.

ECTAA and GEBTA welcome the new EU Regulation, which will introduce long missing restrictions to the exchange of sensitive data, which was harming competition in air transport. ECTAA and GEBTA call for a watchful enforcement of the Regulation.