A US court has ruled in favor of Ryanair in a lawsuit filed by the airline, which claimed that Booking.com accessed parts of its website without permission, according to court documents cited by Reuters.
Following a trial, a jury in the Delaware District Court unanimously found that Booking.com violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by causing unauthorized third-party access to portions of Ryanair’s website “with intent to defraud.”
Representatives for Booking.com expressed disappointment with the decision and indicated plans to appeal.
The Irish airline, Europe’s largest by passenger numbers, stated that the ruling would help curb unauthorized data use by booking websites.
Companies that use software to search for and resell tickets are often accused of adding extra fees and complicating direct communication between airlines and passengers.
In its verdict, the jury dismissed Booking.com’s allegations that Ryanair had defamed the booking platform and engaged in unfair competition.
“We believe that providing customers with access to and comparison of rates in the travel industry promotes consumer choice,” a Booking.com spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Ryanair, which has recently signed agreements with several online travel agencies for authorized ticket resale, expressed hope that the decision would set a precedent.
“We expect this ruling to put an end to internet piracy and overcharging by both airlines and other travel companies and consumers due to the illegal activities of rogue OTAs (online travel agents),” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said in a statement.
He also hoped that the decision would prompt consumer protection agencies in the UK and Europe to take action against the illegal use of published data and the overcharging of consumers for flights and ancillary services.
