Ryanair applauds Milan Court Decision affirming exclusive online distribution model

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Ryanair, Europe’s leading airline, celebrates the verdict of the Milan Court of Appeal today, February 14th, which decisively dismisses the allegations made by Lastminute and Viaggiare regarding Ryanair’s exclusive online distribution model being deemed an abuse of its dominant market position.

The court upheld that Ryanair’s exclusive online distribution model is justified as it effectively reduces operational costs and eliminates intermediary expenses in ticket sales. This approach has facilitated the offering of competitive fares, ultimately benefiting consumers, while also enabling direct communication channels for information and flight updates. The court found no evidence of harm to users.

Ryanair has persistently advocated for customer protection against price exploitation by Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) who engage in unauthorized scraping of Ryanair’s website. These practices include overcharging for airfares and additional services, utilizing fraudulent customer accounts, payment cards, and emails. Such actions not only result in financial losses for customers but also hinder their ability to access bookings, declare security requirements, obtain refunds, or receive important communications like online check-in reminders from Ryanair.

The landmark ruling sets a significant precedent in safeguarding consumers from OTA-driven overpricing and ensures that Ryanair customers consistently receive fair pricing, superior customer service, and timely communication. Ryanair has recently finalized agreements with OTAs Love Holidays and Kiwi, ensuring transparent pricing without hidden mark-ups, thus further protecting passengers from overcharging while providing them with access to Ryanair’s services.

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