Justice Dept. supports easing rules on computer reservation systems WASHINGTON (AP) =97 The Justice Department agreed with federal= transportation=20 officials Monday that rules governing computer reservation systems for=20 airline tickets should be eased because they don't result in lower prices.= =20 The Transportation Department in November proposed changing the rules for=20 the four U.S. computer reservation systems used by travel agents so all=20 airlines won't have to participate in all four systems. "Many of the=20 regulations, which have been in effect for nearly 20 years, have failed to= =20 make the CRS (computer reservation systems) more competitive, may have=20 imposed costs of their own on consumers, and should not be extended," the=20 Justice Department said in a statement. It recommended abandoning a=20 requirement that computer reservation systems charge all airlines the same= =20 price for the same services. It did say rules should be kept that prevent=20 the computer reservation systems from providing biased information and that= =20 require equal treatment in updating of airline information. Federal transportation officials also have said there's no need to regulate= =20 the sale of airline tickets over the Internet because consumers can shop=20 among competing Web sites. Sabre, a computer reservation system not owned=20 by airlines, has said the Transportation Department proposal could create=20 higher prices and fewer choices for consumers. "Sabre welcomes the call by= =20 the Department of Justice for near-total deregulation, effective Jan. 31,=20 2004," executive vice president and general counsel David Schwarte said in= =20 a statement. Travel agents have accused the airlines that own Orbitz of=20 stifling competition because they've cut commissions to travel agents and=20 steered consumers to cheap fares available only on the airlines' own Web=20 sites. Computer reservation systems process more than 90% of the $57=20 billion in annual ticket sales by U.S. travel agents, the Justice=20 Department said. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************