18 August 2008

Ryanair vs Scrapers - Round 2 to Ryanair?

Seems like the efforts by Ryanair against the Type 2 (that's the people who dont make it obvious that it is making the booking in the background) scrapers is working.

I know how frustrated the consumers feel. But its caveat emptor. I should know - I just did a stupid and similar thing. Let me tell you about my faux pas. I tried to unlock a phone. So I went to Google and found the cheapest site. Paid my fee... then found out that this particular site doesn't unlock my phone. BUT for another fee there is a site who unlocks my particular phone. And no I cant have my money back!!! Oh yes and read the fine print - we told you so.... and no you cant reach us.

More the fool me!

In the case of Ryanair - I am really on the side of the airline on this one. Not because I am a fan of Ryanair - I am because of the way they have reduced the cost of flying and fly to places that I can now go to non-stop!!! - but really because there is an issue that the Consumer advocates really didnt focus on. IE that there are multiple types of screen scrapers. The bad type 2s are actually the ones causing the problems. Ryanair is well within its rights to go after those guys. If however Ryanair went after the Type 1 scrapers (who redirect to the Ryanair site) then I would be less enthusiastic.

It seems not to be the case as this article in Aviation Week attests.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/RYAN08118.xml&headline=Ryanair%20Canceling%20Screen-Scraper%20Tickets

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