Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs • Hacker News Board

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#231

Post by bcye » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 8:48 PM UTC

chrisjj wrote: post #117

dwood_dev wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you had ever purchased a RyanAir ticket you would understand. You get up charged for everything and have to deselect all the up charges at multiple screens. It is their operating model to sell basically free seats, and profit on upsells. Third parties eliminate a large portion of their upsell pipeline. Ryanair is cheap, they charge extra for everything. But the tradeoff is you get where you are going for cheap if…

> Third parties eliminate a large portion of their upsell pipeline. This is nonsense. Third parties cannot provide extra luggage space, priority boarding etc.

A large part of the pipeline consists of insurance, rental cars, hotels, etc.

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#232

Post by carlosjobim » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 8:56 PM UTC

quokwok wrote: post #5

This is an odd story. Ryanair doesn't pay commission, so these resellers make money by charging extra fees to unsuspecting customers. I don't know why Ryanair wants to stamp out this practice (which doesn't cost them anything and brings extra sales), but I don't see why they should be prevented from stamping it out.

Customers aren't unsuspecting. They are happy to pay the markup of OTAs to not have to deal with all the booking processes themselves.

Ryanair are idiots to not accept free sales.

The OTAs are idiots for wanting to sell Ryanair flights without gaining a commission.

And the biggest idiots are the Italian court who sticks their filthy fingers in this whole business.

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#233

Post by expedition32 » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:00 PM UTC

tchalla wrote: post #209

newppc wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea quite devious, in a weird way I suppose the dark patterns also serve as an IQ test that favors younger tech-literates who are familiar with web patterns and are also on a budget (though not all). I used Ryanair a lot while studying abroad in Europe and the €20 flights were real if you jumped through the hoops, which was quite magical. I once had a flight booked to Paris, but it landed in an airport 2 hours outsid…

The dark patterns favor the patient readers who are able to think through and make informed choices. That wouldn’t be most of the younger tech literates.

I made the mistake of not checking a bag when I ordered at the website. Had to pay 70 euro dropping off my suitcase at the airport.

It's a mistake that I will only make once and never again!

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#234

Post by cvakiitho » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:09 PM UTC

matsemann wrote: post #130

hs586 wrote: post #57

I have found myself to be the only person in many conversations defending Ryanair. People complain about legroom, everything being a paid add-ons, you name it. The key is to treat it like a bus that takes you from A to B, sometimes cheaper than a bus, not some sort of luxury experience. The times when flying was luxury is over. And I benefitted from it greatly as a student, so have many shown by Ryanair's passenger n…

> And I am also always confused about the non-transparency that people mention about their fees. When you do the checkout, you select the services you want and pay for those. The lack of transparency is that it's hard to price compare. Your will almost never pay the ticker price at Ryanair, but at others you might.

I don't follow, I never paid more than ticker price?

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#235

Post by chopin » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:18 PM UTC

petesergeant wrote: post #173

tyre wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember when they were seeking approval to provide blow jobs on flights (free in business class iirc.) The only thing that they won’t up charge. They even tried to get approval to charge for bathroom access. Wild company, but they are entirely on brand. To be fair, consumers have driven airlines this way. They’ve shown that they’ll buy based almost entirely on price and suffer any amount of agony in exchange. I ju…

I assumed you were making some poorly executed joke, but no! https://www.smh.com.au/national/ryanair-ceo-talks-free-sex-o... > He then asked the translator the German word for oral sex. After being told there wasn't one, he remarked "terrible sex life in Germany".

Which, of course, isn't true.

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#236

Post by expedition32 » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:21 PM UTC

dmaa wrote: post #92

hexbin010 wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firstly Ryanair don't fly the routes Qantas and Emirates do, so you have no idea what you're on about comparing them Second, Ryanair et al have dragged all the previous decent airlines down with them into the gutter and even paying more doesn't really get you service of years gone by. The only way they could compete was by slashing costs and prices to appear near the same ranking in the search results. You don't real…

If by 'the gutter' you mean cheaper - thanks Ryanair! I don't like the experience of flying either, but there is no denying that it is accessible to anybody today, 20 yrs ago it was still a luxury. Regarding the destinations, yes, Emirates does not fly from Memmingen to Stanstead. But why would anybody, unless they live in the village next to either.

I mean if you really have money there are companies that can get you on a private jet. No customs, no luggage check in, no Heathrow/JFK.

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#237

Post by sokoloff » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:24 PM UTC

carlosjobim wrote: post #225

patall wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually wonder how much traffic they lose this way. My employer doesn't allow me to book with them because the agent doesn't list them. Even though I want to go to Cambridge, quite annoying.

If your job is paying, why do you complain?

I try to spend the company’s money with as much care as I spend my own.

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#238

Post by sokoloff » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:30 PM UTC

expedition32 wrote: post #236

dmaa wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If by 'the gutter' you mean cheaper - thanks Ryanair! I don't like the experience of flying either, but there is no denying that it is accessible to anybody today, 20 yrs ago it was still a luxury. Regarding the destinations, yes, Emirates does not fly from Memmingen to Stanstead. But why would anybody, unless they live in the village next to either.

I mean if you really have money there are companies that can get you on a private jet. No customs, no luggage check in, no Heathrow/JFK.

You still have the customs/immigration step; it’s just often done planeside.

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#239

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:46 PM UTC

lotsofpulp wrote: post #207

onli wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt it. One person shops with no relevant contact to foreigners. Maybe the enterprise organising a credit card terminal for them activates it.

I've had one person shops try to convince me to pay in USD when I try to pay in the local currency.

[deleted]

Re: Ryanair fined €256M over ‘abusive strategy’ to limit ticket sales by OTAs

#240

Post by scottyah » Tue, Dec 23, 2025, 9:47 PM UTC

lentil_soup wrote: post #212

scottyah wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, especially for a short flight I do not have high expectations. I don't want to be charged an extra $10 so I can get a "free" half sized water bottle or tea hat's been brewing since the late 90s. I don't need extra baggage, legroom, or any of the other add-ons that other airlines try to provide and charge for. I don't love the dark patterns, but believe the CEO when he says they are basically traps that enable th…

> I don't love the dark patterns, but believe the CEO when he says they are basically traps that enable the low prices for the people that don't fall for them. I don't know what to respond to this. Are you saying you're fine with other people falling for the dark patterns if that allows for a cheaper ticket for you?

Yes, they've always had a model of "people in the know" being subsidized by others.

Didn't pre-print out your ticket? 100 euro fine. Your bag is too large at the gate? Same thing.

It's the airline of Compound Interest- "He who understands it, earns it... he who doesn't... pays it"

An airline that isn't purely catered to the rich, but to those who are intelligent, knowledgeable, and don't mind the lack of frills. It's like an airline crafted for grad students.