A new report into the plight of US travel agents has concluded the government should not step in to offer them financial support.
The National Commission to Ensure Consumer Information and Choice, created by Congress, issued its final report on November 13.
“The Commission is concerned about the plight of travel agents, but believes that their problems are caused by economic forces that lie beyond the ability of regulation to control,” said the report.
The commission also urged the Department of Transportation and Justice Department to give serious consideration to forcing Orbitz to eliminate its ‘most favoured nation’ contract clause.
Orbitz is the online travel site owned by the five largest US airlines and, under the clause, an airline must provide Orbitz with all the published fares it provides to any other third-party Internet agency or posts on its own Web site, as long as Oribitz matches the terms offered by the other Internet agency.
