Ryanair agrees deal with Booking.com owner
Ryanair has agreed a partnership agreement with Booking Holdings, the company behind travel brands such as Booking.com, KAYAK, Priceline, and Agoda.
The two firms had been involved in long-running legal proceedings in the US, one of a series of cases that Ryanair has taken against third-party sites that resell its tickets.
The Irish Independent reported this week that the companies had mutually agreed to end an appeals process that followed a judgment in favour of Ryanair last year.
Ryanair says that the partnership means that customers booking with Booking Holdings’ brands will now have access to Ryanair flights across the airline’s network, “with full price transparency of Ryanair products”.
Flight updates
The airline adds that the deal will also ensure that customers who book Ryanair flights through Booking.com, KAYAK, Priceline, and Agoda will be able to receive essential flight updates directly.
Ryanair has approved similar deals with several other online travel agencies (OTAs) – including Lastminute, TUI, and Expedia.
“This partnership shows how ‘approved OTAs’ and Ryanair can work together to protect and benefit consumers, giving them more choice at lower fares,” said Ryanair’s chief marketing officer Dara Brady.
“In bringing together access to Ryanair’s low-fare flights and network of more than 235 destinations with the innovative, intuitive technology, ease and flexibility offered by our brands, this partnership builds on our commitment to provide a trusted, seamless booking experience to customers all over the world,” said Booking Holdings’ Todd Henrich.