DUBLIN (Reuters) -A U.S. court docket dominated that Reserving (NASDAQ:).com violated the Laptop Fraud and Abuse Act by accessing a part of Ryanair’s web site with out permission, court docket paperwork confirmed.
The Irish airline, Europe’s largest by passenger numbers, stated the ruling would assist finish unauthorised display screen scraping by reserving websites.
Reserving.com stated it was dissatisfied with the selections and deliberate to attraction.
Ryanair has lately launched a sequence of authorized actions in opposition to third-party reserving platforms that resell its tickets with out permission.
It says the businesses, which use screen-scraping software program to seek out and resell tickets, add extra expenses and make it tough for the airline to contact passengers.
A jury within the District Courtroom of Delaware unanimously discovered that Reserving.com violated the Laptop Fraud and Abuse Act and that it had induced a 3rd occasion to entry elements of Ryanair’s web site with out authorization “with an intent to defraud,” the decision issued late on Thursday stated.
The court docket additionally rejected counterclaims by Reserving.com that Ryanair had defamed the reserving platform and that the airline was engaged in unfair competitors.
“We maintain that allowing customers to access and compare fares across the travel industry promotes consumer choice,” a spokesperson for Reserving.com stated in an emailed assertion.
Ryanair, which has in current months signed offers with plenty of on-line journey brokers for the authorised resale of tickets, stated it hoped the ruling would set a precedent.
“We expect that this ruling will end the internet piracy and overcharging perpetrated on both airlines and other travel companies and consumers by the unlawful activity of OTA (online travel agent) Pirates,” Ryanair Chief Govt Michael O’Leary stated in an announcement.
He stated he hoped the ruling would pressure client companies throughout Britain and Europe to take motion to outlaw unlawful display screen scraping and overcharging of shoppers for flights and ancillary companies.
