You too, Easyjet?

In one of my previous posts I was writing about Ryanair's legal actions taken against the websites which were used to screen-scrap its content. Meanwhile it was proved that Ryanair's actions were not 100 % successful as, since that time, they won in several markets but in others they failed...or not....?!

Recently, Ryanair's rival, Easyjet, has also initiated legal claims against a German software company, InteRes, whose tour operator clients include TUI and REWE Touristik (more details here and here). Unlike Ryanair, Easyjet has offered a connection alternative through its API, a more robust and reliable solution for Easyjet inventory distribution. The Easyjet proposal was rejected by the InteRes representatives.

Jerry Dunn, easyJet’s distribution development manager, said: “We offer screen scrapers a commercially viable and fully licensed alternative form of distribution, which a majority of former scrapers have already signed up to.

“We will not accept that some scrapers continue to go about their business to the detriment of our customers. Screen scraping causes many technical problems, mis-selling of our flights and consequently to numerous customer service problems.”

Since its launching, the Easyjet API has been quickly embraced by large OTAs and GDS in the detriment of screen-scrapping.