Ryanair accused of misleading prices

BUDGET airline Ryanair misled travellers about the cost of flying with a rival firm, a British court was told yesterday.

Ryanair internet advertising had claimed that some Buzz flights cost a quarter, a third and a half more than they actually did, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.

Ryanair also concealed the true cost of its own flights, prosecutors allege.

Ryanair denies 18 charges relating to misleading price indications for flights.

Trading standards officer Amanda Farrell yesterday told the court how Essex County Council’s trading standards department launched an investigation into Ryanair advertising two years ago.

She told jurors that Ryanair exaggerated the cost of Buzz flights from London Stansted to destinations including Frankfurt and Berlin in Germany and France.

An investigation had been launched in March, 2003 after trading standards officers read press reports about how Ryanair was set to take over Buzz, said Ms Farrell.

She added: “They didn’t quote the full price when they made price indications on their home page.”