EasyJet has reported online travel agent eDreams to industry regulators, claiming the travel comparison site is duping passengers into paying too much for their flights.
The airline claimed easyJet flights advertised on the eDreams website were up to 51% more expensive than those on its own website.
It has reported its concerns to the Office of Fair Trading, the Civil Aviation Authority and consumer organisation Which?
EasyJet is claiming that eDreams illegally advertises flights at headline prices that are lower than the final price that must be paid. It said both a service fee and payment fees for debit and credit card bookings were added later in the booking process.
When TravelMole attempted to book an easyJet flight with eDreams, from London to Palma on July 2, it was advertised at £64.14 one-way – £4.85 less than on easyJet’s website – but a £15.46 service fee was added at the final stage of the booking process, making it £10.61 more expensive than the price quoted by easyJet.
Peter Duffy, easyJet marketing director, said: "EasyJet wants to ensure all of its passengers are getting value for money.
"In recent years we have worked hard to simplify the booking process and ensure our pricing is transparent. The activity of eDreams means that we estimate around one million easyJet passengers are being duped into paying too much."
He said the eDreams, which automatically lifts fares from easyjet’s website, was not authorized to ‘screen scrape’.
Ryanair has had a long-running battle with eDreams and has made several attempts to block the Spanish-based site from lifting its fares, but the website has managed to get around its sophisticed reCaptcha system which is designed to block screen scrapers.
Duffy said eDreams’ pricing techniques were in breach of consumer laws such as the Consumer Rights Directive, Consumer Protection Regulations and Air Services Regulations. As eDreams operates across Europe, he said easyJet will also be contacting the relevant European regulators.
"The way they present their prices is wrong and misleads consumers," he added. "This is why we have reported their activity to the regulators."
By Linsey McNeill
