Irish consumer authorities have rejected plans by the EU Commission to shut down airline websites if they fail to remove misleading information.
EU consumer affairs commissioner Meglena Kuneva yesterday gave Ryanair and other airlines four months to get their websites in order or else have them closed down. Her order followed an investigation by EU officials into misleading advertising and unfair practices in airline ticket selling, which found problems with more than half the 400 websites surveyed.
Here, the National Consumer Agency said it was carrying out its own investigation into ticket selling practices, and would shortly be contacting Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Aer Arann about a number of issues.
The agency wants the airlines to provide customers with prices that include all taxes and charges and to allow customers to opt in to other charges such as insurance, rather than having to opt out. It is examining differences in the amounts some airlines charge passengers for airport taxes and the amount they actually pass on to airports.
However, a spokesman said it would not be realistic to close down airline websites as "they are providing a service that a lot of people want". If the airlines failed to rectify their websites, there was scope for a prosecution leading to a fine, he said.
Ireland did not take part in the "consumer sweep" of airline websites undertaken by Ms Kuneva's officials but a number of Irish airlines feature in the list of offending sites compiled in other EU states.
