EasyJet calls for crackdown on screen-scraping website

EasyJet is calling for a crackdown on a website it claims is screen scraping its fares and then adding extra charges.

EasyJet is calling for a crackdown on a website it claims is screenscraping its fares and then adding extra charges.

The budget airline claimed eDreams was breaching consumer guidelines by quoting low fares to win business, only to add on service fees and card charges later in the transaction.

The Civil Aviation Authority said that easyJet and other airlines had also complained about the “booking practices” used by eDreams – which was unavailable for comment, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The budget airline’s marketing director Peter Duffy said the final fares quoted by eDreams were up to 60% more expensive than a ticket would have been if booked directly with easyJet.

The carrier believes as many as 300,000 passengers may have booked with the site to fly travel between October and March.

A CAA spokesman said: “We are now considering these concerns carefully as part of our ongoing work to ensure travel companies comply with consumer law.”

Spanish company eDreams is part of the Odigeo Group which also owns Opodo and Go Voyages.

Richard Lloyd, executive director at consumer watchdog Which? told the newspaper: “Companies must comply with the ban on excessive card charges that came in after our campaign, and shouldn’t be misleading consumers by adding on charges late in the booking process.

“Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading should crack down on any company found to be breaching these laws.”