Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) has welcomed a Spanish commercial court ruling rejecting an injunction by online travel agency (OTA) Kiwi to suspend the carrier's verification procedures for passengers whose bookings are made by OTAs.
"Ryanair does not have a commercial relationship with Kiwi, and we strongly object to Kiwi selling our flights," the budget airline's marketing, digital and communications chief Dara Brady commented.
However, Kiwi pointed out that the Madrid Commercial Court did not look at the validity of the verification process, only the company's request to urgently suspend that process until the case is heard. It said it would continue to fight Ryanair's new verification process for indirect customers, as is the case with a growing list of consumer organisations and authorities across Europe, such as Italy’s competition authority.
"This new verification process, which is an excessive and invasive collection of personal information, followed by charging consumers fees at the airport, sometimes more than the cost of the flight itself, goes against everything we stand for," it said in a statement. "While it is disappointing that there will not be an immediate suspension of this so-called 'verification', we trust that the final decision will remove Ryanair's new verification process and restore our customers' position of having freedom of choice, which this unilateral action is seeking to erode," the OTA said.
The case is the latest in Ryanair's ongoing battle with online travel retailers. In August, it warned consumers to always book directly, alleging many OTAs provided airlines with inaccurate passenger details.
Ryanair accuses the agencies of deceptive practices, claiming they falsely advertise lower fares than the airline's actual prices. It claims "discounted fares" are used as clickbait to attract customers, only to reveal hidden mark-ups of up to 200% in some cases. Additionally, OTAs are accused of providing incorrect email addresses for passengers, hindering direct communications for essential flight updates. The airline alleges that many also withhold booking details from passengers, preventing them from managing their bookings and ensuring compliance with safety regulations, such as luggage requirements.
