2020-02-07 14:06 av

Travel News
SRF anmäler flygbolaget Finnair till Konkurrensverket
SRF reports the Finnair airline to the Swedish Competition Authority


Today, the Swedish Travel Agency and Organizers submit a notification to the Swedish Competition Authority and the Finnish Competition and Consumer Agency. The application is aimed at the airline Finnair, which has closed a number of travel agencies. The airline does not want the travel agencies in their marketing, among other things, price comparison sites, to show a price that is lower than Finnair's own price. - Finnair has closed down travel agencies that sell their tickets cheaper than themselves. This leads to higher prices and is worse for consumers, says Didrik von Seth, secretary general of the travel industry association SRF.

Just before Christmas, Finnair closed a number of travel agencies in Sweden and Finland. Finnair claimed that the prices shown by these travel agencies and sold via so-called price comparison sites were lower than their own prices. Finnair does not like this and has therefore closed these travel agencies.

"The airlines have a self-interest in keeping prices up while travel agencies want to help their customers find the cheapest and best alternatives," said Didrik von Seth. Shutting down those travel agencies that are lower in price than Finnair itself is a way to limit competition.

Price comparison sites have been developed into major marketplaces for airline tickets where most online travel agencies and some airlines are located.

- In order for customers to be able to have full transparency and access to the cheapest tickets, it is important that the price shown in all marketing is final, which is a prerequisite for free competition, says Didrik von Seth.