SNCF fined €5m over travel site

THE SNCF has been fined €5m for stifling competition with its online travel shop, voyagessncf.com

A court in Paris has ordered the French state rail operator to pay damages to rival online travel agents Karavel, Promovacances and Lastminute.com.

The three sites lodged a complaint in 2002 that the SNCF was using its monopoly position to promote flights, hotels, car rental and package holidays on voyagessncf.com

The site worked in an exclusive partnership with travel giant Expedia and marketed its products to 10 million rail customers.

The court ruled that the rail operator's link with Expedia was anti-competitive and the SNCF was wrong to use its famous brand to promote products that were not its own.

However the ruling gives no guidance on what the SNCF must do to get back within the rules. The Paris court said this was an issue for the French competition authorities to decide.