Kiwi.com Secures Legal Victory as Ryanair Loses Bid for Customer Data

In a recent legal development, Ryanair has faced another setback in its ongoing legal battle with online travel agent (OTA) Kiwi.com. The Regional Court in Brno, Czech Republic, ruled in favor of Kiwi.com on November 7, 2023, rejecting Ryanair’s attempt to compel the OTA to provide customer credit card details and email addresses.

The long-standing dispute stems from Ryanair’s objection to Kiwi.com selling its flights without any direct commercial relationship between the two entities. Ryanair has initiated several lawsuits against Kiwi.com and other OTAs globally, aiming to prevent them from scraping fare information and reselling tickets. The airline has accused Kiwi.com of supplying false passenger contact and payment details.

A key point of contention is the lack of specific passenger details, including contact information and payment details, in OTA bookings. Ryanair contends that this information is crucial for direct communication with passengers in case of issues like delays or cancellations. OTAs argue that they act as bona fide agents for passengers, while Ryanair’s motive is perceived as an attempt to eliminate them from the market.

This particular legal matter dates back nearly three years, with a Czech court initially ordering Kiwi.com to provide data to Ryanair in early 2021. However, the OTA successfully appealed this ruling. Subsequently, in late 2021, Kiwi.com was again instructed to release the data by a lower court. Although the higher court annulled this ruling, it focused on procedural matters rather than the dispute’s substance.

Legal disputes between Kiwi.com and Ryanair are ongoing in Italy and Spain, highlighting the complexity of the broader conflict between airlines and OTAs over data and distribution practices.

Kiwi.com’s CEO, Oliver Dlouhý, welcomed the recent court decision, expressing hope that it would end the longstanding allegations made by Ryanair against OTAs. Dlouhý suggested that Ryanair’s insistence on obtaining unnecessary customer information is a tactic to stifle competition.

While the decision is not final, as Ryanair plans to appeal, the legal dynamics underscore the ongoing tension between traditional carriers and OTAs in the evolving landscape of airline distribution and data sharing. Stay tuned for updates on this legal saga as it continues to unfold.