Italy's competition authority has fined Ryanair €256m for abusing its market power by limiting ticket sales through online travel agencies and forcing customers to buy directly from its website.
Regulators said the airline used technical barriers between 2023 and 2025 to block or disrupt bookings made via third-party platforms, weakening competition and making it harder for agents to sell Ryanair flights alongside other airlines or travel services.
About the measures:
The authority said Ryanair introduced measures such as blocking payments, deleting agency accounts and requiring facial recognition checks for customers who booked through travel agents, claiming security reasons.
Ryanair said it will appeal the ruling, calling it legally flawed. Chief executive Michael O'Leary argued that selling directly allows the airline to offer lower fares and accused travel agents of adding hidden fees. Despite the dispute and a temporary drop in ticket sales, Ryanair remains Europe's largest airline and one of the most valuable in the world.
Michael O'Leary:
"(O'Leary said it was) an affront to consumer protection and competition law."
"The internet and the ryanair.com website have enabled Ryanair to distribute directly to consumers, and Ryanair has passed on these 20% cost savings in the form of the lowest air fares in Italy and Europe. Ryanair looks forward to successfully overturning this legally flawed ruling and its absurd €256m fine in the courts."