The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), the country's independent antitrust regulator, has fined Ireland-based Ryanair €255 million “for abuse of a dominant position.”
The authority imposed the fine following an investigation into the budget airlines’ practices between April 2023 and April 2025. During that period, the Italian authority alleged that Ryanair used an “elaborate strategy” to prevent the distribution of Ryanair flights by online travel agencies (OTAs).
“In particular, the company’s strategy blocked, hindered or made such purchases more difficult and/or economically or technically burdensome when combined with flights operated by other carriers and/or other tourism and insurance services,” the regulator said in a statement.
Tactics included using facial recognition to identify customers who booked through travel agencies, blocking payment methods, imposing partnership agreements on OTAs and launching an “aggressive communication campaign against non-signatory OTAs.”
In a statement, Ryanair called the allegations “bizarre” and “unsound.” The airline said it had instructed its lawyers to "immediately appeal” both the ruling and the fine.
The Italian authority alleged that Ryanair holds a dominant position in domestic and European passenger services to and from Italy due to its market shares and other factors that allow it to act independently of competitors and consumers.
The airline disputed this claim and said the ruling “undermines” a 2024 Milan court decision that found its direct distribution model to be a benefit for consumers.
“If today's legally unsound AGCM Ruling and fine is not appealed, then the AGCM proposes to set itself above the Milan courts in making competition decisions,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said.
“This AGCM Ruling is an affront to the precedent Milan court ruling and also an affront to consumer protection and competition law. Ryanair has grown rapidly in Italy—and in many other markets across Europe—by always offering the lowest air fares in every single market in which we operate.”