Ryanair has announced the results of its February OTA survey, revealing that certain online travel agencies (OTAs), including eDreams, Vola, and Tryp, continue to overcharge consumers.
According to the airline, eDreams is selling a reserved seat that costs just €10.00 on Ryanair.com for €20.90—more than double the original price—while Vola is offering a 10kg bag for €25.00, nearly twice the €13.49 charged on Ryanair.com.
The latest survey adds to growing evidence that a small number of OTAs are inflating prices for consumers. Ryanair points to the recent €9 million fine imposed by Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) on eDreams for what it described as “blatantly misleading” pricing practices, arguing that this further demonstrates how certain OTAs continue to overcharge customers across Europe.
The airline also referenced its recent legal victory in the Hamburg Court, which ruled that eDreams’ price presentation misled consumers. Ryanair says this decision reinforces its long-standing position that EU governments must take immediate action to protect consumers from opaque and inflated pricing practices.
Ryanair continues its campaign to shield EU consumers from OTA overpricing and has once again called on EU governments—particularly Spain’s Consumer Affairs Minister, Pablo Bustinduy—and national consumer protection authorities to take urgent steps. The airline is urging regulators to introduce mandatory price transparency requirements for all OTAs, in line with the transparent pricing standards applied by Ryanair’s “Approved OTA Partners,” which it says offer full consumer protection.
Dara Brady of Ryanair stated: “Ryanair’s February survey shows that certain OTAs, such as eDreams, Vola, and Tryp, continue to overcharge unsuspecting consumers—sometimes charging more than double the price available on Ryanair’s website. Yet Spain’s ineffective Consumer Minister, Bustinduy, continues to refuse to act to protect thousands of Spanish consumers from eDreams’ overpricing. These latest findings also reflect the €9 million fine imposed by Italy’s AGCM for ‘blatantly misleading’ pricing—further proof that the anti-consumer practices of some OTAs must be addressed across Europe. Our recent victory in the Hamburg Court confirmed what we have been highlighting for years—that eDreams’ business model relies on overcharging consumers—yet Minister Bustinduy still fails to act. We once again call on EU governments and consumer protection authorities to take urgent action to protect consumers across Europe by requiring full price transparency from all OTAs, in line with the transparency standards followed by Ryanair’s approved OTA partners.”
