Italian court rejects online agent’s challenge to Ryanair over bookings

An Italian court has ruled that Ryanair can continue to apply extra security check-in procedures for passengers who book flights via online travel agent Kiwi. Digital agents complain that the Irish airline applies extra checks to confirm the identity of travellers who have booked through their websites rather than through Ryanair’s own system.

The carrier on Thursday welcomed the decision of a court in Milan, Italy, to reject online travel agent Kiwi’s application to have the company remove the enhanced procedures for its customers.

Dara Brady, Ryanair’s head of digital, said the ruling ensured that passengers booking through online agents could continue using its enhanced procedures to check in and are told of important safety and public health protocols. “Ryanair does not have a relationship with Kiwi and we strongly object to Kiwi selling our flights,” he added.

Mr Brady noted that the airline encouraged passengers to book through its systems.

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Kiwi said the court’s ruling was disappointing.

“At Kiwi.com we believe in a simplified experience for travelers that puts the customer first and this unnecessarily excessive and invasive process of collecting the personal information of our customers goes against everything we stand for,” the company added.

The Irish airline has been fighting ongoing battles with online agents who sell its flights without its approval on various fronts for several years.

Recently Max Schrems’ digital rights group NOYB filed a complaint with the Spanish data protection authority on behalf of a complainant, who had also complained about the security check-in procedures.

Ryanair rejects the organisation’s claims that the enhanced checks breach data rights. The airline maintains that the steps are needed when passengers buy flights through an agent to manage their booking, online check-in and to comply with safety and security requirements.

* This article was amended on the 21st of August to clarify that NOYB had filed a complaint with the Spanish data protection authority on behalf of a complainant rather than a lawsuit on behalf of Edreams Odigeo