Summary
- Ryanair’s partnership with Kiwi, a Czechia-based online travel agent (OTA) has begun, providing advantages to the agent’s customers.
- This includes full price transparency and independent management of consumers’ bookings.
- The low-cost carrier has fought an extended fight against OTAs, including some which have ended up in court.
Ryanair, the Irish low-cost carrier, has continued signing agreements with online travel agents (OTA). Now, after the airline has added Kiwi to the approved OTA list, Ryanair’s tickets are actually bookable through the agent’s systems for the upcoming summer season.
First OTA partner with bookable fares
In accordance with Oliver Dlouhý, the co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Kiwi, the organization was proud that Europe’s largest airline selected the OTA as its first partner for booking flights. The CEO identified that this recognized the investments Kiwi has made into its product and customer experience, reflecting its commitment to establishing relationships with airlines to learn the OTA’s customers.
Photo: Ryanair
Meanwhile, Eddie Wilson, the CEO of Ryanair, added that Kiwi’s customers can book the low-cost carrier’s flights with full price transparency with no overcharges or hidden mark-ups. The OTA’s clients can even have direct access to their bookings through their myRyanair accounts. Previously, passengers who had booked flights with Kiwi needed to depend on the OTA’s staff to make changes to their bookings, including check-in procedures.
![DSCF5261-2048x1536 - Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX on the tarmac](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dscf5261-2048x1536.jpg)
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Ryanair’s ongoing battle against Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) continues, this time against Kiwi.com.
Agreements with OTAs
Ryanair detailed that the partnership with Kiwi signifies that the OTA’s customers can now book its low fares combined with Kiwi’s interlining services while receiving all flight-related communication directly and having direct access to myRyanair accounts. Lastly, Kiwi’s customers shouldn’t have to finish Ryanair’s verification processes.
The Irish low-cost carrier highlighted that up to now few months, it has signed agreements with six different OTAs, including Kiwi, On The Beach, eSky, loveholidays, and others. The corporate has been publicly criticizing OTAs, including a number of the brands that it will definitely signed agreements with, for overcharging its customers.
Photo: Ryanair
For instance, on January 10, the airline issued its January OTA Pirate survey, detailing the overcharges applied to customers booking Ryanair flights through the agencies’ systems. The Irish carrier exemplified that in January, eDreams, Opodo, and On the Beach overcharged travelers 125%, 108%, and 63% for various products, similar to an allocated seat or checked baggage.
![A Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX about to land.](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ryanair-boeing-737-max-landing-shutterstock_2135639043.jpg)
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Fighting in court
Some OTAs, including Lastminute and Viaggiare, have sued Ryanair, alleging that its exclusive online distribution model constitutes an abuse of a dominant position. In February, the Milan Court of Appeals (Corte di Appello di Milano) ruled that the model was justified, adding that it helped Ryanair contain its operating costs and eliminate costs related to intermediation in ticket sales.
Photo: Toni. M | Shutterstock
In response to the ruling, Ryanair stated that it has long campaigned to guard travelers from price gouging by OTAs, in addition to customers being unable to access their booking information when buying tickets through these agencies.
![Ryanair aircraft](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/piotr_mitelski_comp_5.jpg)
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