Already condemned for "deceptive trade practices" in France in 2011, the Expedia group -owner of hotels.com and expedia.fr- is once again the subject of a lawsuit. The General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) has called the group to "put an end to imbalances in the relations between hotel reservation central services and hotel establishments", explains the French agency in a statement.By this action, the DGCCRF is tackling the reservation central's clauses which it considers illegal, prohibiting hotels from directly offering consumers more attractive rates, or requiring the right to sell the last available room on their platform. Such terms have been detected within the Expedia group, justifying its writ of summons. Other booking sites may have to face justice as well: "A lawsuit against another reservation center is being prepared and is expected by the end of the year", the statement said.
