First significant sign of dissent from a major player in travel technology after Travelport CEO Gordon Wilson questioned the relevancy of the GDS Code of Conduct in Europe.
A questionnaire for "stakeholders" - GDSs, other players - to submit their views on the future of the Code was sent out earlier this week, with any changes likely to be made in early-2012.
Until now, only the European Travel Technology Services Association (ETTSA) has talked publicly about the Code, although there is plenty of discussion behind the scenes and within the GDSs that change is needed, although not inevitable.
Speaking during a wide-ranging interview with Tnooz this week, Wilson says the "hefty" code needs to be reviewed as it is "out of date", not least because of changes within the marketplace around the distribution of airfares and position of GDSs and other players in the ecosystem.
"The EU [European Union] has to decide what it wants to legislate for or regulate," Wilson says.
Regulatory powers "should be there for [the interests of ] consumers", he says, but argues that currently around half of air bookings in Europe pass through systems and protocols that are now covered under the Code.
The Code is a valuable process for ensuring the display of prices are uniform and correct, with the consumer benefiting from having access to accurate information on websites and through retail travel agencies - and is a system that Travelport is happy to support.
But with countless metasearch engines, OTAs and others not covered by the code, changes are needed to modernise it "for the benefit of consumers", he says.
In other words: it's not fair being part of a regulatory framework when so many others are not.
As previously hinted by ETTSA, other figures in Brussels and some within the GDSs, the so-called curve ball in the story still lingers: can even an organisation such as Google be included in the Code, given that it is almost guaranteed to become more than just a bit-part player in the coming years?
When Wilson reels off a list of types of companies currently not included in the code, which he feels should be considered (metas, OTAs, etc), he nods when when asked if that should also include "a company like Google".
The difficult job for ETTSA, interestingly, is whether it can now appease its GDS members (such as Wilson's Travelport) who are looking for changes to the Code, when perhaps some of its other online travel agency members will be less eager to be included in the framework.
Meanwhile, Amadeus says it is working an initial and public response to the questionnaire issued earlier this week.