Google May Finally Face a Showdown With Regulators Over Its Evolving Travel Tools

Is Google naughty or nice? In the past week, this perennially smoldering debate on the travel industry's conference circuit got fresh fuel. On the "naughty" side, a Times of London article claimed that the European Commission had told one of its reporters that it is investigating Google's flights and hotel services business. But the commission has not made an official announcement about investigating Google's travel practice. And Politico's Brussels site reported Tuesday that its sources say the commission has not yet decided whether to pursue a complaint against Google Flights. An investigation would pose a threat to Google given that Europe's watchdog and regulatory body fined the U.S.-based search giant $2.7 billion, or 2.42 billion euro, in June for alleged "abuse of market dominance" for its not-dissimilar shopping ads for retail goods. Google will appeal the case. In response to that shopping ruling, Google issued a statement: "When you use Google to search for products, we try to give you what you're looking for. Our ability to do that well isn't favoring ourselves, or any particular site or seller - it's the result of hard work and constant innovation, based on user feedback." Based on Google executives' past comments, it would seem likely that they would make similar arguments about their travel comparison services. Some travel industry lobbyists disagree. Christoph Klenner, secretary-general of the European Technology and Travel Services Association — whose members include Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia, and Sabre — has asked the commission to investigate. Klenner also issued a statement: "Google leaves competitors with no choice but to buy vi