The association of travel agencies Acave maintains a tough confrontation against the airline Vueling, of the IAG group and leader in the Barcelona airport. The entity has announced the start of legal actions against the airline's decision to "increase the rates of plane tickets to travel agencies." Catiana Tur, manager of Acave, explains that the company informed them last Friday of a new commercial policy that would increase the rates distributed through the agency website and professional channels starting this week.
This decision does not imply any increase in the final price of Vueling plane tickets on its direct channels, such as the airline's website or the app. And therein lies the controversy. According to Acave, Vueling "will be able to sell its flights cheaper through direct channels", while it will be more expensive for agencies. "The action is intended to discourage sales through indirect channels and prioritize their own direct sales," they add. That is why they have mobilized their lawyers, who see "signs of violation of competition regulations and, therefore, are already preparing the appropriate legal actions."
The association has also expelled Vueling from the organization and is promoting actions within the European employers' association of travel agencies and tour operators in case "it is possible to take any action in this regard." Vueling sources, for their part, stress that they have always worked "with travel agencies as a key distribution channel to bring the offer closer, and will continue to do so in the future."
"Our distribution strategy involves positioning and improving both our direct and indirect channels, with the aim of facilitating access to our offer for travel agencies, recognizing their role, and making the best alternatives available to our clients, always accordance with the established legal framework", they add from the airline. According to the airline, "indirect channels have always applied their own pricing policies and management expenses that they have considered appropriate, since they do not depend on Vueling."
