Italy's antitrust regulator AGCM fined Ryanair for abusing its dominant market position. This was reported on the AGCM website.
The airline received a fine of €255.7 million for intentionally complicating the sale of its tickets in conjunction with other services for travel agencies since April 2023.
According to the investigation, the company's strategy consisted of several stages: first, facial recognition was introduced for users purchasing through agencies, then payment methods were blocked, and accounts of online agencies were mass-deleted.
In 2024, Ryanair began imposing partnership agreements, periodically blocking agencies' ability to book tickets. Abuses continued at least until April 2025.
The antitrust authority found that Ryanair's actions weakened competition from travel agencies and ultimately led to a decline in quality and a reduction in the range of travel services available to consumers.
Ryanair controls 38-40% of the international passenger air transport market in Italy.
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