Skyscanner/Ryanair query

hi there is it just me or is it now impossible to click through directly to the Ryanair website from Skyscanner?

I like to have a look at flight times plus prices either side of the date I have selected but it seems now that Skyscanner is wanting you to book through its own website.

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  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,547
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    I'm not sure of the answer as I always check flights and book on Ryanair using their app, never with Skyscanner.

    Using the app all flight times and prices can be seen for all dates either side of the one selected for the search.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • bagand96
    bagand96 Posts: 6,051
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    Skyscanner (and Kayak etc) are great tools for searching for flights.

    But I would never book any flight via a click through from a 3rd party. After I've searched, I go to the airline's own website and start from scratch. That way I know I'm getting what I want. So many variables these days with airline bookings, and that's before you consider the risk (however small) that something goes awry in the redirect, and you fail to notice before you've clicked "pay"
  • melb
    melb Posts: 2,873
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    Yes that is what used to happen and is the way I have booked flights for years. I look for flights for a whole month and choose the cheapest days to fly which brings up all possible flights and Ryanair are usually the cheapest.

    You were then taken to the Ryanair website where I could then check flight times and maybe move dates around on their website before I book.

    Now this does not happen - I think there is some legal action being taken by Ryanair about this but can't find where I saw it, maybe on Ryanair's Twitter feed
  • Westin
    Westin Posts: 5,922
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    Perhaps Ryanair are no longer paying Skyscanner for click thru affiliate traffic.

    No real great loss. By all means use Skyscanner.net to check options. If Ryanair is best suited then just type https://www.ryanair.com in your browser. Simples.
  • leylandsunaddict
    leylandsunaddict Posts: 1,923
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    edited 28 January 2020 at 1:49PM
    it seems now that Skyscanner is wanting you to book through its own website.


    I've just been looking at flights on there and there's a link to Ryanair website for their flights, the same as there always has been.

    There are also link to the shonky OTAs and that is what Ryanair are taking legal action against Skyscanner for, to end the selling on, through the use of screenscraping.
  • bagand96
    bagand96 Posts: 6,051
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    edited 28 January 2020 at 2:05PM
    Yes that is what used to happen and is the way I have booked flights for years. I look for flights for a whole month and choose the cheapest days to fly which brings up all possible flights and Ryanair are usually the cheapest.

    You were then taken to the Ryanair website where I could then check flight times and maybe move dates around on their website before I book.

    I know that's what used to happen, but that's what I'm saying I would never do. It's no great hardship, once you know what flights you want,open a new browser tab, go to ryanair.com and start the booking afresh? 5 minutes of your life at most?
    You can't book through Skyscanner, they're only a search engine. I've just been looking at flights on there and there's a link to Ryanair website for their flights, the same as there always has been.

    I've tried it, it does take you to book through the skyscanner website. Its really quite strange - it says you are booking with Ryanair and marks it as "Airline" but also with the phrase "book on Skyscanner".

    You click through and enter all your details on the Skyscanner website. It shows you your total on the right hand side and says "debited by Ryanair" and also has a link for Customer Support which states:

    "Customer support

    Ryanair will provide the customer support for this booking."

    ryr.png

    It offers baggage options, and even seat selection bringing up the seat map - just like the Ryanair website - but not! Either they've done this with Ryanair's co-operation, or they've taken a lot of time to develop code in the background to read Ryanair's website and present the data on their own interface. I notice a couple of options are missing - in particular "Priority Boarding & 2 cabin bags" which I think a lot of people use - it shows options for checked bags but not that.

    As I said before - use Skyscanner for research but always start any booking afresh on the airline website.
  • I've tried it, it does take you to book through the skyscanner website. Its really quite strange - it says you are booking with Ryanair and marks it as "Airline" but also with the phrase "book on Skyscanner".

    You click through and enter all your details on the Skyscanner website. It shows you your total on the right hand side and says "debited by Ryanair" and also has a link for Customer Support which states:

    The link I clicked took me direct to Ryanairs website. Selling on through it's own domain is something that is included in their legal action against Skyscanner as well as selling through links to OTAs. I've just tried a few different dates/routes and the book with Skyscanner link has never appeared for me.

    Very strange!
  • melb
    melb Posts: 2,873
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    that is strange cos I see exactly what bagand96 does - using Chrome
  • bagand96
    bagand96 Posts: 6,051
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    I'm intrigued enough to have a play....

    Windows
    Chrome - "Booking Ryanair via Skyscanner"
    Edge - "Booking Ryanair via Skyscanner"

    Android Phone
    Skyscanner App - "Booking Ryanair via Skyscanner"
    Chrome - Redirect to Ryanair.com

    Apple iPad
    Skyscanner App - Redirect to Ryanair.com
    Safari - Redirect to Ryanair.com
    Chrome - "Booking Ryanair via Skyscanner"

    Seems to be a mix across the platforms and browsers.
  • melb wrote: »
    that is strange cos I see exactly what bagand96 does - using Chrome

    Even more strange because I use Chrome.
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