Ryanair today (Tues, 11 Mar) released its March OTA Survey, which shows a few remaining non-approved OTAs such as eDreams, Vola and Booking.com continue to overcharge consumers by up to 3 times more than Ryanair prices. This month Vola imposed the highest mark-up, overcharging more than triple the Ryanair price (€15.99) for a reserved seat that costs just €5.00 on Ryanair.com. eDreams also overcharged consumers (€23.00) for a reserved seat that cost just €8.00 on Ryanair’s website (+188%), while Booking.com was overcharging consumers up to 40% for reserved seats on other airlines which are 40% cheaper when booked directly on that airline’s website as set out below.

Ryanair continues to call for consumers to be protected from non-transparent overcharging OTAs, like eDreams and Booking.com. Sadly, Spain’s Consumer Affairs Minister has still not taken any action when it comes to protecting Spanish consumers from these OTA overcharges in Spain. We call on the Spanish Consumer Affairs Ministry to finally take action and outlaw all such OTA overcharging of consumers in Spain, and force these OTAs to offer their consumers transparent pricing, just like Ryanair’s “Approved OTA” partners already do.

Ryanair’s Dara Brady said:

“Our March survey shows yet again that non-approved OTAs such as eDreams, Vola and Booking.com continue to overcharge consumers by a shameful up to 220% over Ryanair prices. They continue to inflate prices of air fares and reserved seating which are much cheaper for consumers when booked directly on airline websites. This latest evidence of consumer overcharging by non-approved OTAs is unacceptable.  

EU Govts and consumer authorities, including Spain’s Consumer Affairs Minister, Bustinduy, should now take urgent action to outlaw these hidden OTA overcharges and protect consumers from this OTA overcharging.”