By Guy Taylor
Ryanair will list its flights with long-running travel agent adversary On the Beach, despite a history of disputes and legal skirmishes.
In a statement on the London Stock Exchange, On the Beach said the agreement represented a “transformational shift” in its relationship with the low-cost carrier.
OTB customers can now access the Irish airline’s low fare flights as part of their holiday packages, alongside the company’s flexible payment plans, customer perks and ATOL protection.
It comes after three deals between Ryanair and online travel agents (OTAs) in recent months, which represent a turning point in its relationship with companies it has previously described as “pirates” and accused of misleading customers by marking up flight prices.
Airlines generally prefer when passengers book direct so they can charge for add-on fees, in-flight offers and specific seat allocation.
In December, a number of OTAs delisted Ryanair flights from their websites, forcing it to reduce fares and warn of empty seats.
Ryanair and On the Beach’s spats have been taken as far as the High Court. In October, the Manchester-based firm successfully sued the airline for £2m over failures to refund package holidays from Covid-19 times.
Shaun Morton, On the Beach Group chief executive, said: “We are excited to have entered into this transformational partnership with Ryanair. This will improve the booking and travel experience for our customers selecting Ryanair flights, while ensuring we can continue to provide customers with best value package holidays.
“We will continue our campaign to safeguard consumer choice in the travel sector and the signing of this agreement marks a significant milestone in On the Beach’s journey, as we strive to do the best for our customers. Importantly, this agreement enables both parties to move on from outstanding litigation and we look forward to working closely with our new partner.”
Dara Brady, director of marketing, digital and communications for Ryanair, said: “This new deal will see Ryanair partner with its fourth approved OTA partner.
“On the Beach customers can now book Ryanair flights, seats, and bags as part of their holiday package with the guarantee that they will have full price transparency of Ryanair products (without any overcharges), and that they will receive any information regarding their flight directly from Ryanair as well as having direct access to their booking through their myRyanair account.”
