Competition panel orders probe against MMT-Go, OYO for alleged malpractice

Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered an investigation against online travel platform MakeMyTrip (MMT)-GoIbibo and OYO for abuse of dominant position after it received a complaint from the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI).

Last December, FHRAI had sent separate letters to MMT and GoIbibo, highlighting the grievances of their members against the alleged malpractices of MMT, including predatory pricing, charging of exorbitant commissions from hotels, registering and providing illegal and unlicensed bed and breakfast on its platform, and misrepresentation.

The hotel industry body added that the merger of MMT and GoIbibo has led to its dominance in the relevant market of online travel agency, which has empowered MMT-Go to operate independent of the competitive forces prevailing in the relevant market.