Renewal is not in doubt. However, the electronic network for the retail distribution of airline tickets has changed substantially in the last decade. The basic agency-located CRS offers many more capabilities, and the CRS's, themselves, now largely are owned by airline consortia. This means that issues centering on the charges these systems impose on airlines have less importance, while the relative level of services each CRS is required to provide become more important. Additionally, the Internet is beginning to account for an increasingly larger proportion of ticket sales.
Many airlines now offer online booking and ticketing.
These services largely are unregulated, e.g. , there is no requirement for a fair display of all flight and fare options not biased toward one or more airlines. The significance of the OSP issue can be seen in a business review letter issued by the Justice Department on February 3. The Justice Department's position is unremarkable. What is remarkable is the membership of the Association, which includes Microsoft, American Express and America Online. US Airways vs. British Airways .