Ryanair Wins Against Booking.com In Delaware Court Ruling

(RTTNews) - Ryanair Holdings plc (RYA.L, RYAAY) Friday said it has won its case against travel major Booking.com in the Delaware District Court.

The court unanimously ruled in favour of Ryanair's claims that Booking.com had violated the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, causing loss to Ryanair.

The jury also ruled that Booking.com had done so knowingly with "intent to defraud", and that Ryanair had suffered economic harm as a result of Booking.com's unlawful screenscraping activity.

In the ruling, the jury also dismissed all Booking.com's counterclaims against Ryanair, which included claims for defamation, unfair competition, and deceptive trade practices.

Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary stated that the ruling found in favour of Ryanair, proving that Booking.com had illegally "scraped" Ryanair's website, and did so with an intention to defraud both Ryanair and ordinary consumers, which was in breach of the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

O'Leary said, "We expect that this ruling will end the internet piracy and overcharging perpetrated on both airlines and other travel companies and consumers by the unlawful activity of OTA Pirates like Booking.com. … This ruling is a great victory for low fare air travel, and it's a great win for the travelling public as well."