On 21 and 22 November 2002, the 23 national associations of travel agents and tour operators members of the European association ECTAA, will meet…
On 21 and 22 November 2002, the 23 national associations of travel agents and tour operators members of the European association ECTAA, will meet for the 86th bi-annual meeting in Vienna.
Ranking high on the agenda of the one-day Business Meeting are air matters as well as competition issues relating to the air transport sector. The Business Meeting will give the trade representatives an opportunity to discuss the present deadlock situation on the negotiations with IATA on a new balanced and business-oriented contract. ECTAA has recently filed a complaint against IATA and IATA airlines for infringing Community competition legislation. The relations between the travel agents and airlines are tense, not only in respect of the failure to reach an agreement on a new contract, but also on a number of other issues, such as the continued and accelerating trend of airlines to reduce or even suppress remuneration to agents, the fierce competition of direct online sales by airlines, such as OPODO, which raise a number of competition concerns, and the apparent stalling of the Passenger Protection Plan, a plan which would protect customers against the financial failures of an airline or travel agent.
The Business Meeting will also raise a number of legal, fiscal, tourism and consumer protection related issues without direct link to the air transport sector, such as the consultation paper on international rail passengers` rights and obligations, the intended revision of the package travel Directive and the special VAT scheme for travel agents currently under revision.
ECTAA will also hold a special meeting for the affiliated associations of the candidate countries. With the enlargement process well on its way, ECTAA pays particular attention to these associations, with a view to helping them understand the Community legislation affecting the trade and to inform them of best practices and codes.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
