On the Beach and Ryanair end legal dispute with new agreement

Travel company On the Beach has signed a deal with Ryanair to list flights on its booking platform, ending a feud between the two companies. Manchester-based On the Beach told investors that the move marks a "transformational shift" in its relationship with the airline, which last year accused On the Beach, along with rivals Trip.com and lastminute.com, of "knowingly and deliberately overcharging unsuspecting consumers for Ryanair flights."

This comes after a months-long trial, during which the three On the Beach companies were awarded £2 million in damages from Ryanair by the UK High Court. This information was published by business-live.co.

The Irish airline has been arguing with online booking sites, which it calls "pirates," for selling its flights without permission. There was also a problem with the exchange of passenger contact information, which is said to have complicated the process of refunds and providing updated travel information.

Shaun Morton, CEO of On the Beach Group plc, said: "We are delighted to begin this transformational partnership with Ryanair. It will enhance the booking and travel experience for our customers who choose to fly with Ryanair while ensuring that we can continue to provide customers with the best value for money in package holidays. Importantly, this agreement allows both parties to move forward with the pending litigation and we look forward to working closely with our new partner."

Dara Brady, Ryanair's Chief Marketing, Digital and Communications Officer, said: "Ryanair is delighted to announce our latest partnership with leading travel company On the Beach. This new agreement will see Ryanair work with its fourth approved OTA partner. On the Beach, customers can now book Ryanair flights, seats, and baggage as part of their holiday package with the assurance that they will have full transparency on Ryanair product pricing. They will also receive any information regarding their flight directly from Ryanair as they have direct access to their booking via their myRyanair account."