Trenitalia excludes from its booking systems some travel solutions including regional trains. 5 million Euro fine and obligation to inform consumers
PRESS RELEASE
The Italian Competition Authority (“ICA”) sanctioned Trenitalia S.p.A. for an unfair commercial practice put in place through the company’s telematic system for searching and purchasing tickets. The system is available to customers on the Trenitalia’s website, through self-service ticket machines at train stations and the Trenitalia App for smartphone and tablet.
Following a complex procedure, the ICA ascertained that the set of travel solutions offered by Trenitalia, based on searches made on its IT tools, omits numerous (generally cheaper) solutions including regional trains although they are valid substitutes if compared to those shown, thereby altering consumer choice.
In particular, travel solutions involving a transfer and the use of regional trains are never included in the search results nor can they be found somewhere else (if not through a specific website search with "Regional Trains" option on) in case the departure time is nearby a solution that uses “Frecce” and “Intercity” trains (i.e. the only solution that is always displayed) and is even only a few minutes faster.
Trenitalia has not in any way informed consumers about this important limitation, offering instead the misleading search options "all trains" on its corporate website.
The ICA considered this to be an unfair commercial practice pursuant to Articles 20, 21 and 22 of the Consumer Code and imposed a fine of 5 million euros on Trenitalia S.p.A., equal to the maximum that can be imposed by law. In consideration of the significant effects of this practice on consumers and pursuant to Art. 27, para. 8 of the Consumer Code, the Authority also imposed on Trenitalia the obligation of publishing a rectification declaration aimed at consumers on its website, on its App and the self-service ticket machines at train stations.
The ICA availed itself of the precious collaboration of the Special Antitrust Unit of Guardia di Finanza and took into account the opinions on the dissemination medium provided by the ART (Italian Transport Regulation Authority) and the Italian Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM).
Rome, 3 August 2017
The Italian Competition Authority (“ICA”) sanctioned Trenitalia S.p.A. for an unfair commercial practice put in place through the company’s telematic system for searching and purchasing tickets. The system is available to customers on the Trenitalia’s website, through self-service ticket machines at train stations and the Trenitalia App for smartphone and tablet.
Following a complex procedure, the ICA ascertained that the set of travel solutions offered by Trenitalia, based on searches made on its IT tools, omits numerous (generally cheaper) solutions including regional trains although they are valid substitutes if compared to those shown, thereby altering consumer choice.
In particular, travel solutions involving a transfer and the use of regional trains are never included in the search results nor can they be found somewhere else (if not through a specific website search with "Regional Trains" option on) in case the departure time is nearby a solution that uses “Frecce” and “Intercity” trains (i.e. the only solution that is always displayed) and is even only a few minutes faster.
Trenitalia has not in any way informed consumers about this important limitation, offering instead the misleading search options "all trains" on its corporate website.
The ICA considered this to be an unfair commercial practice pursuant to Articles 20, 21 and 22 of the Consumer Code and imposed a fine of 5 million euros on Trenitalia S.p.A., equal to the maximum that can be imposed by law. In consideration of the significant effects of this practice on consumers and pursuant to Art. 27, para. 8 of the Consumer Code, the Authority also imposed on Trenitalia the obligation of publishing a rectification declaration aimed at consumers on its website, on its App and the self-service ticket machines at train stations.
The ICA availed itself of the precious collaboration of the Special Antitrust Unit of Guardia di Finanza and took into account the opinions on the dissemination medium provided by the ART (Italian Transport Regulation Authority) and the Italian Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM).
Rome, 3 August 2017