Ryanair has taken a UK-based website owner to a domain name tribunal in order to force the closure of a blog seemingly determined to lambast the low cost carrier.
UK internet registry and regulator Nominet ordered Robert Tyler to cease using the IHateRyanair.co.uk address this week after the carrier argued that the blog traded on the Ryanair brand name through affiliate links to other travel providers.
Tyler has since claimed he made a mediocre £322 through such arrangements and conceded to the demands of the tribunal.
Undeterred, however, Tyler has now simply switched the domain name and put in redirects to a new version, IHateRyanair.org.
Ryanair's Stephen McNamara says:
“We note and welcome this ruling and hope in future that this person will confine himself to fact-based criticism of Ryanair, the world’s favourite international airline with over 73.5 million passengers this year.”
Some might question why the carrier has taken such drastic action against Tyler and his blog. Well the answer, inevitably, might be in relation to search.
For example, a search for "ryanair" on Google puts IHateRyanair on the first page, in ninth position.