Ryanair investigated for using third-party facial verification

The Austrian NGO Noyb, which fights for privacy protection, filed a complaint in Spain in 2023 against the Irish company, accusing it of imposing facial recognition in case the reservation was made through a site other than its own.

“It seems evident” that this “assumed violation of data protection” has as its main objective “incitement to book directly with Ryanair”, stated the Austrian body.

Since the beginning of this year, Ryanair has increased its collaborations with several agencies, including Tui, loveholidays, Kiwi.com and On The Beach; However, the airline has long faced a conflict with online travel agencies, which it accuses of selling its plane tickets at much higher prices.

The DPC indicated in its statement that it will examine whether Ryanair’s use of these verification methods complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union.

Ryanair said its verification process “protects customers from the few travel agencies that provide false contact and payment details to cover up the fact that they are overcharging and ripping off consumers.”

“Customers booking through these unauthorized agencies must complete a simple verification process, which is GDPR compliant,” Ryanair added.

According to the airline, this verification ensures that passengers make the necessary safety declarations and directly receive all required safety and regulatory protocols when traveling, as required by law.

With information from AFP.