Ryanair fined 4.2 mln euros in Italy for unfair practices

A Ryanair flight (front) lands while a Brussels airlines flight takes off at the Brussels Airport in Zaventem, Belgium, April 19, 2021. /Xinhua

Italy's Competition Authority (AGCM) has fined Irish budget airline Ryanair 4.2 million euros (5.1 million U.S. dollars) for unfair commercial practices in the country, the watchdog said in a statement on Monday.

"The company once travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 emergency were no longer in place has not refunded consumers the costs of tickets for flights canceled after June 3, 2020," said the statement.

Easyjet and Volotea, two other low-costs flight companies, had also been fined 2.8 million euros and 1.4 million euros respectively for the same reason in the previous days, according to AGCM.

The Authority explained the three companies engaged in "seriously improper conduct" when they canceled several flights scheduled, saying that it was due to the health emergency, despite the fact that COVID-related travel restrictions had been lifted.

While doing so, the AGCM noted, they kept issuing vouchers without allowing their customers to be refunded of the cost of their tickets.

"Furthermore, misleading and omissive information has been provided to consumers about their rights, and the recognition of the monetary reimbursement has been hindered and delayed," it stated.

Finally, the advertising campaign Ryanair run starting from June 2020 was also considered as misleading, said the statement, citing that the company focused its advertisement on the opportunity of changing a booked flight for free, but charged higher rates for the new flight compared to those simultaneously applied by its booking system, and imposed a penalty when the change was made within 7 days prior to departure.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency