Italy fines Ryanair over travel agency restrictions
The watchdog stated that Ryanair made it difficult for agencies to book flights through its website, a practice reportedly observed from April 2023 to at least April 2025. The fine applies to both Ryanair DAC and its parent company, Ryanair Holdings PLC.
“Following a complex investigation, the Authority found that Ryanair put in place an elaborate strategy affecting the ability of online and traditional travel agencies to purchase Ryanair flights on ryanair.com,” the authority said. It added that the airline’s measures “blocked, hindered or made such purchases more difficult and/or economically or technically burdensome” when combined with flights from other carriers or additional tourism and insurance services.
The agency concluded that “at least until the integration of APIs, Ryanair’s conduct could and did in fact hinder travel agencies’ sales and affect OTAs’ ability to attract internet traffic.”
Ryanair responded, saying it will immediately challenge the “legally flawed” ruling and fine.
“Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Tues, 23 Dec) instructed its lawyers to immediately appeal both the bizarre/unsound ruling and the €256m fine, unjustly levied by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM),” the airline stated.
The company emphasized that the ruling contradicts a January 2024 Milan Court precedent, which declared that Ryanair’s direct distribution model “undoubtedly benefits consumers” and leads to “competitive fares.” It added, “The AGCM’s baseless efforts to redefine a period of time after the Milan Court Ruling and to wrongly claim that Ryanair has a dominant position in air services to/from Italy will be overturned.” Ryanair concluded: “This ruling and fine are legally unsound and will be overturned on appeal.”
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