Alexandria, Va, Sept. 25 - In a message to the White House, Congress, and the business travel industry, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives stated that a proposed Department of Transportation rulemaking governing CRS systems would have a negative impact on business travelers and corporate America. The message was reiterated at a Sabre and American Society of Travel Agents "Fly-In" held in Washington today.

ACTE maintains that a proposed DOT rulemaking will have a number of detrimental effects on benefits used by corporate travel managers to cut costs while increasing or maintaining current travel levels. Prominent among these is access to all published fare -- including Web fares. This option was only recently attained through the efforts of CRS companies, who offered substantial long-term booking fee reductions for guaranteed access.

"The time for reviewing CRS regulations may be at hand," said ACTE President Mark Williams, "but that doesn't qualify adopting news ones that will inhibit the travel process." Restating a position taken by the association on March 3, 2003, the ACTE president added, "the Department of Transportation should abandon these changes in pursuit of realistic long-term changes, with mutual benefits, that encourage business travel and a healthier economic environment for the transportation industry."

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives was chartered in 1988 as the global research and educational resource for the business travel industry. Representing corporate travel interests of 2500 members in 47 countries, ACTE provides leading educational programs for travel management industry leaders.

Click here to view a letter written by ACTE President, Mark Williams to The Honorable Jay P. Lefkowitz, Deputy Assistant To The President For Domestic Policy.

Contact:
Jack Riepe
Communications Director
t: 610-719-8396
c: 610-256-0124
e: [email protected]