Ryanair Drops New OTA Bombshell As Survey Reveals Higher Charges For Seats And Priority Boarding

Written By: Ricky Acharjee

Ricky Acharjee

I am travel writer at Travel And Tour World with 3 years of experience covering global tourism, aviation, hospitality, and destination news. Dedicated to accurate reporting and compelling storytelling, Ricky explores the trends, innovations, and developments shaping the international travel industry while delivering engaging insights for travellers and industry professionals.

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September 8, 2026 3:33 PM

Ryanair, Europe’s leading low-fare airline, has published its September OTA Survey, revealing that several online travel agencies (OTAs) continue to charge customers significantly higher prices than those available directly through Ryanair’s official website.

The latest survey highlights eDreams and Tryp as the month’s biggest offenders, with both platforms allegedly adding substantial mark-ups on Ryanair products and services. According to the airline, eDreams is charging €18 for reserved seats that are priced at only €11.50 on Ryanair.com, representing a major increase for passengers. Meanwhile, Tryp is offering Priority boarding for €31, despite the same service costing €24 when purchased directly from Ryanair, creating an additional charge of around 29%.

Ryanair claims these OTAs have continued to avoid signing direct distribution agreements with the airline because their business models rely on adding extra fees to customer bookings. The airline argues that these practices reduce price transparency and make it harder for travellers to understand the real cost of their journeys.

Ryanair has once again urged European governments and national consumer protection authorities to take stronger action against what it considers unfair pricing practices by certain online travel agencies (OTAs). The airline believes additional regulatory measures are needed to protect passengers from unexpected extra charges when booking flights and services through third-party platforms.

The carrier is calling on authorities across Europe to ensure that all OTAs follow stricter transparency rules when displaying fares and additional services. Ryanair argues that travellers should have access to clear pricing information before making a purchase decision.

The airline has highlighted that its approved OTA partners already follow transparent pricing standards, allowing customers to see the actual cost of flights and optional services without unclear mark-ups. Ryanair says this approach provides passengers with greater confidence and a fairer booking experience.

By pushing for wider adoption of transparent pricing across the online travel sector, Ryanair aims to create a more consistent marketplace where consumers can easily compare prices and understand exactly what they are paying for when booking air travel.

According to Ryanair, approved OTA partners already provide customers with transparent pricing and avoid hidden charges, allowing passengers to see the actual cost of flights and additional services before completing their bookings. The airline believes wider adoption of these standards across the OTA sector would help protect travellers and improve fairness in online flight sales.

SEPTEMBER OTA OVERCHARGES

Ryanair’s Dara Brady said:
“Ryanair’s September OTA survey yet again exposes eDreams and Tryp overcharging consumers, in some cases, over
50% more than Ryanair’s prices. These OTAs continue to overcharge consumers, despite repeated and continuing
enforcement actions from EU Courts and Regulatory Agencies.
We again call on EU Govts and Consumer Protection Authorities to take urgent action to protect consumers from this
overcharging by enforcing price transparency in line with the price transparency standards applied by all of Ryanair’s
“Approved OTA” partners.”