Ryanair ends long running legal action against Booking with latest OTA agreement

Ryanair has finalised a deal with Booking Holdings to allow Booking.com and KAYAK to resell its tickets, resolving a long running legal dispute.

The airline has previously accused third-party platforms of imposing extra charges and complicating direct contact with passengers. The last remaining OTA in dispute with Ryanair is edreams.

Similar agreements have been established with platforms like Kiwi.com and Expedia for ticket resale since last year. The partnership promises customers direct essential flight updates and full price transparency when booking.

Customers booking through Booking.com, KAYAK, Priceline, and Agoda will benefit from full price transparency and streamlined access to their myRyanair accounts.

Dara Brady of Ryanair shared, “This new partnership with Booking Holdings is welcome news for all customers who book or compare prices through Booking.com, KAYAK, Priceline, and Agoda. It shows how ‘Approved OTAs’ and Ryanair can work together to protect and benefit consumers, giving them more choice at lower fares.”

Todd Henrich of Booking shared, ” We are pleased to partner with Ryanair to continue giving travellers greater choice and value when booking their journeys across our platforms. This agreement succeeds in bringing together access to Ryanair’s low-fare flights and network of more than 235 destinations.”

Original court ruling remains in effect

As a result of the agreement Ryanair and Booking.com have agreed to end a legal appeal in the United States following last year’s court ruling.

The Delaware jury initially convicted Booking.com, but the judge later overturned the ruling, citing insufficient evidence of loss. The court interpreted that cease-and-desist letters require immediate compliance from site-scrapers.

Three US lobby groups supported Booking.com, arguing against Ryanair’s legal actions as attempts to stifle competition. With the appeal dropped, the original ruling regarding cease-and-desist notices will remain in effect.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation shared, “If unauthorised access can be predicated on a violation of a website owner’s stated preferences, rather than hacking technological barriers, then companies will continue to use the CFAA to fend off competition.”

Ryanair’s lawyers shared “Their briefs should not be allowed or considered by the court because not one squarely addresses the issue in this case.