Ryanair seeks eDreams advertising ban from Google

Ryanair has called on Google to ban “misleading” advertising from an online travel website the Irish airline is suing following a decision by the UK’s advertising watchdog.

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint against online travel agency eDreams Odigeo and found it to be in breach of the code in relation to misleading advertising.

ASA found while eDreams could use relevant search terms and were entitled to promote their services it “still needed to ensure they did not imply they were the official site for the airlines for which they sold tickets”.

The company was told the ads must not appear in the forms complained of and to ensure their ads did not imply they were promoting the airlines’ official sites.

“Today’s ruling by the UK Advertising Standards Authority, conclusively proves that the eDreams advertising, through deceptive Google adverts, is misleading consumers into booking higher priced tickets through the eDreams website… We again call on Google to delist eDreams until all references to Ryanair have been removed from the eDreams advertising,” said Ryanair chief marketing officer, Kenny Jacobs.

eDreams said it was encouraged by the ASA’s acknowledgement it can use relevant search terms and added it is keen to work with the watchdog to ensure there is “never any potential confusion for customers”.

“There is no intention to imitate the appearance of specific airlines, as eDreams clearly indicates to its customers that they are on one of its own websites, rather than that of any airline,” a spokesperson said.