Deal allows flight and hotel booking in one with Ryanair

LOW-FARES airline Ryanair yesterday struck a deal allowing passengers buying flights to also book rooms in 20,000 hotels across Europe.

Travel industry experts said Ryanair’s deal with the Expedia accommodation website follows growing trends on the internet for DIY holidays. Holidaymakers are buying cheap flights online and then arranging their own hotels separately — cutting out middlemen like holiday firms.

“Ryanair sees this trend as a way it can increase revenue from passengers,” travel consultant John G O’Dwyer said. “When your business strategy is selling airline seats at low costs like Ryanair’s, then finding new ways to increase revenue and profit is very important.”