The protracted legal dispute between Ryanair Holdings PLC and eDreams ODIGEO has entered a new phase in the Hamburg Regional Court, where a sequence of judgments handed down has reinforced deep divisions between the two companies concerning pricing presentation and consumer rights. These rulings, delivered on January 8, have elicited contrasting claims from each party regarding the obligations and transparency practices accompanying ticket sales and associated fees.
From Ryanair’s standpoint, the court’s decisions validate its complaints that eDreams has failed to adequately disclose additional service charges to customers. Highlighting three separate judgments, Ryanair asserts the court found eDreams’ approach to advertising seat reservations and baggage fees deceptive due to omissions of key surcharge information.
The court specifically ruled that eDreams displaying seat reservation prices without revealing supplementary fees amounts to misleading consumers. This was classified as a "misleading practice by omission," indicating the court views the omission of service fees as a significant misrepresentation. Furthermore, the court scrutinized how eDreams communicated its service fees for checked baggage, concluding that the information provided similarly misrepresented the true costs customers would incur.
In addition, the court addressed the purported savings associated with eDreams’ Prime subscription, declaring that the advertised discounts cannot be genuinely realized by consumers under current terms. Ryanair interprets these rulings as confirmation of its long-standing insistence on price transparency standards, arguing that consumers are better served when fare costs and all associated fees are transparently disclosed upfront.
"These Hamburg Court decisions reinforce what Ryanair has long advocated – transparent pricing for consumers," said Dara Brady, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer. Brady also accused eDreams of continuously scraping Ryanair’s fares and inflating prices charged to consumers.
However, the court also issued a parallel series of rulings against Ryanair itself, marking a significant development in the legal friction. eDreams ODIGEO announced that the same Hamburg court imposed fines on Ryanair for violating a court injunction issued in May 2025. The court found Ryanair acted in "bad faith" by not complying promptly with the injunction, despite possessing the means to do so.
Beyond the fines, the court declared that several Ryanair policies are unlawful. Notably, Ryanair’s blanket "non-refundable" ticket policy was criticized. In addition, Ryanair’s practice of charging administration fees for processing government tax refunds faced condemnation. The court also disapproved of Ryanair’s method of obtaining customer agreement via pre-ticked boxes for terms and conditions, deeming this approach invalid under applicable regulations.
eDreams has characterized these rulings as further evidence of Ryanair’s non-compliance and has called upon European Union and national regulators to enforce adherence to consumer protection rules more rigorously. The message underscores an intensifying regulatory scrutiny faced by Ryanair over its commercial practices across the European aviation market.
On the financial markets front, shares of Ryanair traded up slightly by 0.26% at $70.73 during early premarket sessions on the reported Friday. The stock neared its 52-week peak of $74.23, reflecting steady investor interest despite the ongoing legal challenges.
This multifaceted dispute between a major low-cost carrier and a prominent online travel agency exemplifies the tensions prevalent in the European aviation sector when it comes to fee transparency, customer protection rights, and regulatory enforcement. Both parties are leveraging court rulings to buttress their corporate narratives and influence public perception amid a complex legal landscape.
As the litigation unfolds, both Ryanair and eDreams continue to stake claims on consumer interests and contractual fairness, with significant implications for online travel sales practices and airline pricing disclosures moving forward.