Ryanair, the European aviation leader, has entered into a collaborative alliance with online travel behemoth Expedia. This partnership is the latest in a series of collaborations this year between the Irish airline and various digital travel businesses.
In accordance with the terms of this recent deal, three options are available for Expedia patrons; they can purchase Ryanair flights independent of any package, in conjunction with a holiday bundle, or have direct access to flight information and their Ryanair accounts without the need for customer verification.
In the coming months, the companies have shared plans for customers to be able to reserve Ryanair flights directly via the Expedia Group. Dara Brady, Chief Marketing Officer of Ryanair, shared that the airline eagerly anticipates collaborating with Expedia to expand its customer base.
Susan Spinney, Senior Vice President for trip partnerships at Expedia, hailed the association as “a significant step” in their collaborative effort with Ryanair. Earlier this year, Ryanair Rooms was launched, which enables the airline’s passengers to book hotels alongside flights.
Expedia, which is based in the United States, is among the top global digital travel organisations, featuring sites such as Expedia, Trivago, Hotels.com, and eBookers. The company raked in over €900 million in profits in the past year.
Ryanair, based in Ireland, is the biggest airline in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The company registered profits of €1.92 billion in the financial year that ended on March 31st, with nearly 184 million passengers flying with them.
Ryanair’s passenger figures are likely to near the 200-million mark in the current financial year, subject to various determinants. Ryanair has previously objected to several other online travel agencies who have allegedly sold their flights without approval, often at higher prices than those listed on Ryanair’s own website or mobile applications.
Ryanair is currently locked in a legal dispute with Expedia’s competitor, Booking.com, in a US court and both parties have lodged counterclaims.