ASA rules against Ryanair once more
EasyJet has scored a victory in its running dogfight with Ryanair by having a complaint regarding fare availability against its low cost rival upheld by the advertising watchdog.
EasyJet lodged a number of complaints about recent Ryanair national press ads promoting flights to Gothenburg and Dusseldorf for “£10 One Way”.
EasyJet challenged the availability of the £10 fares and whether they included taxes, charges and check in fees. It also questioned whether the ads were misleading because they did not state travel dates and that Ryanair should not be describing Weeze airport ad a Dusseldorf airport, as it is 70km away.
Ryanair defended the ads said a total of 32,000 seats were available on the two routes and that more than half the seats to Gothenburg and more than 20% to Dusseldorf were booked at an even lower £5 fare.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was not satisfied with Ryanair’s evidence that all flights were available at £10 or below and found the ads misleading on this point. However, it dismissed the challenges regarding taxes and check in fees and the publication of offer dates.
The ASA also decided that Weeze’s location to Dusseldorf was made clear in the ads.
Ryanair has clashed with the ASA over elements of its advertising several times in recent years and both parties lodged complaints to the Office of Fair Trading in 2008.
