A US court has determined that Booking.com infringed upon the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by accessing a section of Ryanair's website without authorization, according to court documents.
Ryanair, the largest European airline in terms of passenger volume, expressed that this ruling will curb unauthorized screen scraping activities by booking sites. Booking.com, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and intends to appeal.
Ryanair has been pursuing legal actions against third-party booking platforms that sell its tickets without consent. The airline argues that these platforms, which employ screen-scraping software to locate and resell tickets, impose extra charges and complicate direct communication with passengers.
A unanimous jury decision in the District Court of Delaware found Booking.com in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, stating that it encouraged a third party to access parts of Ryanair's website without authorization with the intent to defraud. The court also dismissed Booking.com's counterclaims that Ryanair had libeled the booking platform and was engaging in unfair competition.
Booking.com maintains that enabling customers to view and compare fares across the travel industry enhances consumer choice. Ryanair, having recently partnered with several online travel agents for authorized ticket resale, hopes this ruling will establish a precedent.
Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, anticipates that this ruling will halt the online piracy and excessive charging by unlawful online travel agent activities. He also hopes it will prompt consumer agencies across Britain and Europe to ban illegal screen scraping and excessive charging for flights and additional services.
