Ryanair to take on Google in High Court battle
Ryanair is taking on internet giant Google in a High Court battle, claiming that the search engine is allowing websites to mislead air passengers.
The airline has launched legal proceedings against both Google and eDreams to try to stop the latter from advertising its flights via a ‘copycat’ website and Google search adverts.
Ryanair is accusing Google of allowing eDreams to use subdomains ‘Ryanair Cheap Flights’and ‘www.Ryanair.eDream.com’ to ‘trick’ customers into booking flights on its sites.
But the airline claims customers elsewhere, including in the UK and Ireland, are still being deceived by eDreams into thinking they’re booking with Ryanair, especially as the sites carry ‘identical’ branding to the official Ryanair website.
It says customers who do so face a range of problems, including check in bags not being recorded, contact details being omitted and additional passengers not being added to the booking.
"Ryanair has no issues with Google selling advertising space, but has repeatedly called on Google to enforce transparency on its online advertising following numerous complaints from Ryanair customers who were deceived into buying on the eDreams website when they thought they were booking on Ryanair.com," it said.
"Following Google’s refusal to stop these false advertising practices (which are in breach of Google’s own code of conduct), Ryanair has been left with no alternative than to take legal proceedings against both eDreams and Google in the Irish High Courts."
Ryanair’s CMO Kenny Jacobs added: "This Google/eDreams action is a repeat of a recently successful German court ruling which has outlawed eDreams deceptive advertising in Germany.
"This deception and mis-selling has led to a surge of consumer complaints and leaves Ryanair with no choice but to take legal action against both Google and eDreams, who continue to use Google search adverts to deceive consumers into booking Ryanair flights on the eDreams website at inflated fares.
"Both the subdomain eDreams uses, and the branding and design it employs on this site, are a deliberate attempt to dupe consumers into thinking they are directly booking Ryanair’s low fares."
Ryanair claims the Google code of conduct states that advertising should be ‘honest and transparent’, therefore it should ensure that eDreams doesn’t advertise as Ryanair.
"The German courts have already outlawed this eDreams false advertising, and its time the Irish and UK courts did the same to protect consumers," added Jacobs.
The following statement was issued by eDreams.
"The case against Google and eDreams has only just been filed so there is little we can say beyond the fact that we disagree strongly with Ryanair’s position.
"This action is clearly just another attempt from Ryanair to stop Online Travel Agencies from offering consumers the best price and choice when it comes to booking flights."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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