Irish Court Orders eDreams to Stop Accessing Ryanair Booking System
Ryanair said the Irish High Court has ordered online travel agency eDreams to stop accessing its Travel Agent Direct (TAD) booking system, either directly or through third parties. The ruling, announced on 4 March, records binding undertakings given by the Spanish OTA after Ryanair took legal action over attempts to sell its flights using what the airline described as unauthorised access to its internal booking platform.
Under the order, eDreams must immediately stop using Ryanair’s TAD system and ensure that contractors or partners acting on its behalf also cease any access. Ryanair said the case followed an attempt by the company to obtain its fares through third parties and use them to sell Ryanair tickets. The airline said it had already blocked these activities before seeking the court ruling.
“Today’s High Court Order is a welcome development that prevents eDreams from unlawfully accessing Ryanair’s TAD booking systems. Ryanair will continue to take action to protect consumers from overcharging and from the misleading practices of screenscraping OTAs such as eDreams."
Court findings and regulatory pressure
- The dispute comes alongside several legal and regulatory decisions in Europe related to eDreams’ sales practices.
- A Hamburg court ruled that some eDreams price displays were misleading
- Italy’s AGCM fined the company €9 million over its Prime scheme
- Courts found advertised subscription savings could not always be achieved
- Regulators criticised pricing methods described as manipulative
Ryanair also said several online travel agencies, including Booking.com, Lastminute and Kiwi, already follow its pricing transparency standards.
Ryanair says it has repeatedly offered eDreams free direct API access to its fares if the company agrees to the same transparency standards required of approved partners. According to the airline, these rules are intended to ensure passengers receive accurate fare information, booking confirmation and flight updates directly from the airline after purchasing tickets.
The case also highlights how airline tickets appear on different booking websites. Tickets bought through approved partners usually come with direct confirmation and updates from the airline. When flights are listed without permission, prices shown online may not match the final amount, extra charges can appear, and changing or managing the booking can become more complicated after purchase.
