Ryanair has welcomed the judgement of the Milan Court of Appeal, concluding that Ryanair’s exclusive online distribution model was “justified in terms of continuing operating costs and eliminating the costs associated with intermediation in ticket sales”. The hearing came after online travel agents (OTAs) Lastminute and Viggiare had claimed that Ryanair’s model constituted ‘an abuse of a dominant position’.
The court determined that the low-cost Irish carrier’s exclusive online ticket sales model “has contributed to the application of competitive fares… and to the possibility of having a direct channel of communication with them for any possible need for information and updates on flights,” concluding that “no harm to users” was established.
Ryanair’s Dara Brady commented that the ruling would help ensure its customers “get access to the lowest fares, cannot be overcharged by OTAs, and that they have direct access to manage their bookings and receive up to date flight information”.
Earlier this year, Ryanair partnered with Love Holidays and Kiwi to guarantee the online travel agencies direct access to the airline’s website in an attempt to stop other unscrupulous OTAs from resorting to unlawful ‘screenscraping’.
Milan court ruling upholds Rynair’s exclusive online distribution model
