Spanish court find Ryanair guilty of defamation and unfair charges

 

Two seperate judgments from Spanish courts, upheld lawsuits against Ryanair for defamation and unfair competition arising from Ryanair threatening two specific online travel agencies (Atrápalo and Rumbo) to cancel all plane tickets purchased through them.

The case dated back to 2008, when Ryanair launched a campaign against these agencies, accusing them of being "fraudsters and bloodsuckers", and of "charging hidden fees". The airline also announced it would modify its General Terms and Conditions, and would also cancel any tickets issued through these agencies, stating "Any flights purchased through a website that is not Ryanairs' own will be cancelled without notice or reimbursement."

In response to Ryanair's campaign, the two Spanish agencies, Atrápalo and Rumbo, brought proceedings against the airline for defamation and unfair competition whereby the airline was found guilty of both charges.