Ryanair this week was ordered to pay over £2m in a long running Covid-19 refund case.
On the Beach sued the budget carrier for refund costs it had paid out to customers that the airline didn’t pay back to the OTA.
“The court found that Ryanair had no real prospect of successfully defending the claims that it was obliged to refund,” the OTA said.
“On the Beach has been awarded the sum of £2m and will also be seeking its costs of the proceedings.”
It was part of a wider case brought back in 2021.
It was brought by On the Beach, Sunshine.co.uk and Classic Package holidays.
The High Court judge upheld the summary judgment.
“The outcome sends an important message on how refunds should be handled and emphasises the industry’s responsibility to holidaymakers.,” OTB chief Shaun Morton said.
The travel company has been very vocal against the ‘anti-competitive behaviour’ of Ryanair and other low-cost airlines.
Ryanair DAC chief executive Dara Brady said: “Even pirate OTAs must demonstrate they have refunded customers before any monies are released to OTAs by airlines.”
“This has been Ryanair’s long-standing practice.”
