Ryanair screen scraping appeal dismissed

2010-01-06

Irish airline Ryanair has had its appeal over screen scraping dismissed by a Spanish court.

The carrier took eDreams to court for using screen scraping software in order to offer customers direct information on Ryanair flights.

It said that such intermediation in the sale of flight tickets "causes a deterioration of its reputation and constitutes an act of unfair competition and violation of their efforts and intellectual property".

But the Court of Barcelona has dismissed Ryanair's appeal and upheld the Mercantile Court's ruling that eDreams use of information does not alter the competitive structure or operation of the market.

The judgment stated: "Moreover, this behaviour fosters competition because it allows consumers to compare different offers of flights that fit their interests better, or worse as the case may be."

Use of the screen scraping software by eDreams was said to be completely legal and the fact that customers may book through it rather than directly with the airline simply a consequence of free market competition.

Ryanair was ordered to pay the costs of prosecution.