§ 255.4 - Display of information.

(a) All systems shall provide at least one integrated display that includes the schedules, fares, rules, and availability of all participating carriers in accordance with the provisions of this section. This display shall be at least as useful for subscribers, in terms of functions or enhancements offered and the ease with which such functions or enhancements can be performed or implemented, as any other displays maintained by the system vendor. No system shall make available to subscribers any integrated display unless that display complies with the requirements of this section.

(1) Each system must offer an integrated display that uses the same editing and ranking criteria for both on-line and interline connections and does not give on-line connections a system-imposed preference over interline connections. This display shall be at least as useful for subscribers, in terms of functions or enhancements offered and the ease with which such functions or enhancements can be performed or implemented, as any other display maintained by the system vendor.

(2) Each integrated display offered by a system must either use elapsed time as a significant factor in selecting service options from the database or give single-plane flights a preference over connecting services in ranking services in displays.

(b) In ordering the information contained in an integrated display, systems shall not use any factors directly or indirectly relating to carrier identity.

(1) Systems may order the display of information on the basis of any service criteria that do not reflect carrier identity and that are consistently applied to all carriers and to all markets.

(2) When a flight involves a change of aircraft at a point before the final destination, the display shall indicate that passengers on the flight will change from one aircraft to another.

(3) Each system shall provide to any person upon request the current criteria used in editing and ordering flights for the integrated displays and the weight given to each criterion and the specifications used by the system's programmers in constructing the algorithm.

(c) Systems shall not use any factors directly or indirectly relating to carrier identity in constructing the display of connecting flights in an integrated display.

(1) Systems shall select the connecting points (and double connect points) to be used in the construction of connecting flights for each city pair on the basis of service criteria that do not reflect carrier identity and that are applied consistently to all carriers and to all markets.

(2) Systems shall select connecting flights for inclusion (“edit”) on the basis of service criteria that do not reflect carrier identity and that are applied consistently to all carriers.

(3) Systems shall provide to any person upon request current information on:

(i) All connecting points and double connect points used for each market;

(ii) All criteria used to select connecting points and double connect points;

(iii) All criteria used to “edit” connecting flights; and

(iv) The weight given to each criterion in paragraphs (c)(3)(ii) and (iii) of this section.

(4) Participating carriers shall be entitled to request that a system use up to five connect points (and double connect points) in constructing connecting flights for the display of service in a market. The system may require participating carriers to use specified procedures for such requests, but no such procedures may be unreasonably burdensome, and any procedures required of participating carriers must be applied without unreasonable discrimination between participating airlines.

(5) When a system selects connecting points and double connect points for use in constructing connecting flights it shall use at least fifteen points and six double connect points for each city-pair, except that a system may select fewer such connect or double connect points for a city-pair where:

(i) Fewer than fifteen connecting points and six double connect points meet the service criteria described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section; and

(ii) The system has used all the points that meet those criteria, along with all additional connecting points and double connect points requested by participating carriers.

(6) If a system selects connecting points and double connect points for use in constructing connecting flights it shall use every point requested by a participating carrier up to the maximum number of points that the system can use. The system may use fewer than all the connect points requested by participating carriers to the extent that:

(i) Points requested by participating carriers do not meet the service criteria described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section; and

(ii) The system has used all the points that meet those criteria.

(d) Each system shall apply the same standards of care and timeliness to loading information concerning every participating carrier. Each system shall display accurately information submitted by participating carriers. Each system shall provide to any person upon request all current data base update procedures and data formats.

(e) Systems shall use or display information concerning on-time performance of flights as follows:

(1) Within 10 days after receiving the information from participating carriers or third parties, each system shall include in all integrated schedule and availability displays the on-time performance code for each nonstop flight segment and one-stop or multi-stop single plane flight, for which a participating carrier provides a code.

(2) A system shall not use on-time flight performance as a ranking factor in ordering information contained in an integrated display.

(f) Each participating carrier shall ensure that complete and accurate information is provided each system in a form such that the system is able to display its flights in accordance with this section.

(g) A system may make available to subscribers the internal reservations system display of a participating carrier, provided that a subscriber and its employees may see any such display only by requesting it for a specific transaction.