A recent ruling by a US court determined that Booking.com violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) by accessing parts of Ryanair’s website without permission, according to court documents. Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, hailed the decision as a significant step towards ending unauthorized screen scraping by booking sites.
Ryanair has been actively pursuing legal action against third-party booking platforms that resell its tickets without authorization. These platforms often use screen-scraping software to gather flight information and resell tickets, typically adding additional charges and complicating direct communication between the airline and its passengers.
In a unanimous decision, a jury in the District Court of Delaware found Booking.com guilty of violating the CFAA. The jury concluded that Booking.com had induced a third party to access parts of Ryanair’s website without authorization with an intent to defraud. The court also dismissed counterclaims by Booking.com, which alleged defamation and unfair competition by Ryanair.
Booking.com expressed disappointment with the verdict, stating their disagreement and intention to appeal. “We maintain that allowing customers to access and compare fares across the travel industry promotes consumer choice,” a spokesperson for Booking.com said.
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, welcomed the ruling, stating, “We expect that this ruling will end the internet piracy and overcharging perpetrated on both airlines and other travel companies and consumers by the unlawful activity of OTA (online travel agent) Pirates.” He urged consumer agencies across Britain and Europe to take action against illegal screen scraping and the overcharging of consumers for flights and ancillary services.
Recently, Ryanair has signed agreements with several online travel agents for the authorized resale of the airline’s tickets, aiming to ensure compliance and protect consumers.
Details: https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2024/0719/1460807-ryanair-wins-us-court-case-against-bookingcom/
