O’Leary does a U-turn on website booking security
Ryanair has decided to drop the CAPTCHA security feature for consumers on its website just months after introducing it.
Under the CAPTCHA system, customers are asked to verify their booking by completing a question and answer process and by simple word recognition and repetition.
It was introduced in May as part of Ryanair’s battle to block screenscrapers from accessing its fares, which has rumbled on for several years.
Ryanair first tried CAPTCHA technology in 2011 but was forced to modify it after online agents found a way around it.
From November 1, the system will only apply to high volume bookers, screenscrapers, and travel agents, but will not apply to individual customers.
The airline has announced the move as part of a series of changes to its website and digital strategy.
This winter it will remove the €3 charge for its mobile app, redesign its online booking process, and launch an @Ryanair Twitter page.
A spokeswoman said: "Ryanair had a Twitter page many years ago as a trial, but this is their first official page and they have gained over 3,000 followers this week."
Next summer, the airline also aims to "substantially" reduce the time it takes to complete bookings by making its passenger registration/retention service live.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said: "Our primary focus this winter will be to significantly invest in, and improve, the Ryanair.com website, our mobile platform and our interaction with passengers using social media.
"We are pleased to remove Recaptcha from November for individual passengers, although the security feature will remain in place for high volume or multiple IP addresses in order to deter larger travel agents, screenscrapers and others who flood our website seeking fare quotes, and diminish our website’s accessibility for individual passengers.
"These improvements will be accompanied by a new digital marketing strategy which will see Ryanair switch a significant proportion of its marketing budget from old to new media, with a particular focus on mobile and social media platforms."
Earlier this month, Ryanair was voted worst for customer service in a survey by Which? magazine.
by Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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