Ryanair Faces €256 Million Penalty in Italian Travel Agency Dispute

Ryanair Holdings Plc has been hit with a hefty fine of nearly €256 million ($302 million) by Italy’s antitrust watchdog. This penalty stems from allegations that the airline employed an “abusive strategy” aimed at undermining customers who booked flights through travel agencies.

The Rome-based competition authority reported that Ryanair, known as Europe’s most popular airline, imposed various barriers on passengers who booked through agencies. These included additional facial verification requirements, blocking certain agency bookings by disabling payment options, and even deleting accounts. Furthermore, the airline reportedly disrupted sales repeatedly, creating significant hurdles for customers.

In addition to these tactics, Ryanair allegedly pressured travel agencies into signing restrictive contracts, which hindered the bundling of services. The Italian watchdog noted that the airline also publicly criticized non-partner agencies, further complicating the relationship between Ryanair and travel service providers. This alleged misconduct reportedly persisted from April 2023 until at least April 2025.

In response to the fine, Ryanair announced plans to appeal the decision, labeling it as “bizarre” and “unsound.” The airline contended that the competition regulator’s assertion of its dominant position in air services to and from Italy would ultimately be overturned.

The relationship between Ryanair, based in Dublin, and Italian authorities has been fraught with tension in recent years. This strain intensified during the summer of 2023 when the Italian government issued a decree capping ticket prices for domestic flights to island destinations. Concurrently, the country’s competition authority began investigating Ryanair’s alleged dominance in services catering to tourists, including car rentals and hotel bookings.

The online travel agency group eu travel tech welcomed the Italian fine, asserting that Ryanair’s practices aimed to “prevent consumers from easily comparing and combining travel options on online platforms.” This sentiment underscores the broader implications of the airline’s actions on consumer choice and market competition.

This is not the first instance of Ryanair facing scrutiny over its dealings with travel agencies. In 2024, the airline reached an agreement with the online firm On the Beach Group Plc after the package holiday provider had sued Ryanair in 2021, accusing it of anti-competitive behavior.

Photograph: Ryanair passenger jets; photo credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Ryanair Holdings Plc has been hit with a hefty fine of nearly €256 million ($302 million) by Italy’s antitrust watchdog. This penalty stems from allegations that the airline employed an “abusive strategy” aimed at undermining customers who booked flights through travel agencies.

The Rome-based competition authority reported that Ryanair, known as Europe’s most popular airline, imposed various barriers on passengers who booked through agencies. These included additional facial verification requirements, blocking certain agency bookings by disabling payment options, and even deleting accounts. Furthermore, the airline reportedly disrupted sales repeatedly, creating significant hurdles for customers.

In addition to these tactics, Ryanair allegedly pressured travel agencies into signing restrictive contracts, which hindered the bundling of services. The Italian watchdog noted that the airline also publicly criticized non-partner agencies, further complicating the relationship between Ryanair and travel service providers. This alleged misconduct reportedly persisted from April 2023 until at least April 2025.

In response to the fine, Ryanair announced plans to appeal the decision, labeling it as “bizarre” and “unsound.” The airline contended that the competition regulator’s assertion of its dominant position in air services to and from Italy would ultimately be overturned.

The relationship between Ryanair, based in Dublin, and Italian authorities has been fraught with tension in recent years. This strain intensified during the summer of 2023 when the Italian government issued a decree capping ticket prices for domestic flights to island destinations. Concurrently, the country’s competition authority began investigating Ryanair’s alleged dominance in services catering to tourists, including car rentals and hotel bookings.

The online travel agency group eu travel tech welcomed the Italian fine, asserting that Ryanair’s practices aimed to “prevent consumers from easily comparing and combining travel options on online platforms.” This sentiment underscores the broader implications of the airline’s actions on consumer choice and market competition.

This is not the first instance of Ryanair facing scrutiny over its dealings with travel agencies. In 2024, the airline reached an agreement with the online firm On the Beach Group Plc after the package holiday provider had sued Ryanair in 2021, accusing it of anti-competitive behavior.

Photograph: Ryanair passenger jets; photo credit: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.