Ryanair enter the viewfinderAntitrust. The Competition and Market Guarantor Authority has launched ainvestigation against the Irish company of CEO Michael O'Leary for suspected abuse of a dominant position.
Dominant position and control over tourist services
According to the measure in question states that Ryanair is exploiting its dominant position in the markets in which it operates expand its control also on offers of other tourist services, such as hotels and car rentals, to the detriment of online and offline travel agencies and their customers.
Travel agency associations have reported that Ryanair is implementing policies discriminatory and denigrating towards travel agencies, with the aim of discouraging end customers from purchasing Ryanair tickets through these agencies. These behaviors also extend to online travel agencies. The objective of such behavior is to hinder and exclude travel agencies, both traditional and online, from the sale of Ryanair tickets, in order to direct the sales of tickets and other tourist services towards the company's direct channels, such as website and app.
In particular, it seems that Ryanair prevent agencies from directly purchasing airline tickets from its website, instead allowing traditional agencies to purchase them only tvia a GDS platform at less favorable conditions in terms of price, options and after-sales support.
Effects on the final consumer
This conduct, explains the Antitrust, is "aimed at limiting the sale of airline tickets to travel agencies - which are generally the first purchase made when organizing a holiday and which represent the 'entry point' for the sale of further services – it would have effects not only on agencies but also on end consumers".
Accordingly, this limitation would result less advantageous purchasing conditions both in quantitative and qualitative terms for consumers and would create unjustified difficulties in managing reservations.
Report occurred before the high flight case
The Italian Association of Travel Agents (AIAV), the Federation of Organized Tourism (FTO) and the Lombardy Codes Association (ACL) have reported the case to the Authority in May, before the start of the summer season and therefore before controversy between Ryanair and the government for its pricing policies.
