Ryanair Secures Settlement with eDreams Over Flight Booking System Circumvention
Ryanair has reached a settlement with online travel agency eDreams following legal proceedings alleging the agency attempted to bypass the airline’s secure flight booking system. The dispute, heard in the High Court on March 3, 2026, centered on eDreams’ alleged use of a “travel agent direct” platform intended for brick-and-mortar agencies [Irish Times].
Allegations of Circumvention
Ryanair, represented by barrister Martin Hayden, accused eDreams of exploiting the platform through Indonesian agency PT Scan Ocean Travel and Australian agency Geelong Travel. The airline claimed these agencies were used to place bookings that eDreams could not otherwise make directly, effectively circumventing Ryanair’s security controls [Irish Times], [BizBrief].
Specifically, Ryanair alleged that PT Scan Ocean Travel made 22,435 bookings through the platform since January 6th, averaging one booking every three minutes, 24 hours a day. The airline suggested the use of fake customer email addresses indicated automated booking activity, potentially through bots [Irish Times].
Settlement Reached
Following talks between legal representatives from Ryanair and eDreams, the proceedings against eDreams were settled based on undertakings given by the agency. The case against PT Scan Ocean Travel and Geelong Travel was adjourned to the following week [Irish Times].
History of Disputes
Ryanair’s head of litigation, Ruth Comiskey, noted a “long and fractious history” between Ryanair and eDreams, involving previous disputes over the scraping of flight data from Ryanair’s website [Irish Times].
Previous Injunction Against eDreams
This latest legal action follows a November 26, 2025, permanent injunction granted against eDreams Prime by a Berlin Regional Court. The injunction prohibited eDreams from using “misleading” statements regarding alleged savings and from employing unfair terms and conditions under German law [Ryanair Corporate]. The court found several Edreams Prime terms to be “unlawful”, “misleading” and a violation of “transparency requirements” [Ryanair Corporate].
Further Legal Action
Ryanair indicated it has identified four other travel agencies that may be engaging in similar practices and could be added as defendants in future legal proceedings [Irish Times].
In July 2025, a court found Ryanair guilty of unlawful competition and denigration against eDreams ODIGEO, ordering the airline to cease and retract untruthful claims and recognize that eDreams Prime offers discounts to consumers [Business Wire].