Alphabet’s Google has garnered support from the lobbying group Airlines for Europe, which includes major carriers such as Air France KLM and Lufthansa, for its planned modifications to search results aimed at meeting EU technology regulations.
In recent months, Google has introduced various adjustments to the format of its search results, responding to a range of conflicting demands from price-comparison websites, hotels, airlines, and smaller retailers. The latest updates were announced last month.
The company is working to adhere to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which prohibits it from favoring its own services and products on its platform, posing a potential risk of fines amounting to 10 percent of its global annual revenue.
In a letter addressed to the European Commission on December 20, which was reviewed by Reuters, Airlines for Europe noted that the airline sector is prepared to compromise in order to find a solution that complies with the DMA in a timely manner.
The airline association endorsed the horizontal layout featuring equally sized boxes for airlines and comparison sites within search results. They also supported using the color blue to differentiate these boxes from other search elements.
However, the group raised concerns regarding the accuracy of displayed prices in search results, insisting that they should match those shown in the graphics. Additionally, they criticized Google’s suggestion of using non-specific dates for flight bookings instead of precise ones.
“Details like travel dates are essential to the general search process for consumers seeking air travel, and shifting to a purely indicative date system could significantly diminish their overall experience,” the airline group stated.
Google has indicated that it may revert to a previous format featuring 10 blue links in its search results if stakeholders, including airlines and price comparison platforms, fail to reach a consensus on the proposed changes to comply with the DMA and avoid preferential treatment for its own offerings.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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