Ryanair is back in the courts this time seeking to protect the intellectual property rights in its website. Ryanair’s website is its primary media for the booking of flights on its website and as such is an extremely important asset. We understand that Ryanair has issued proceedings in the High Court against Bravofly Ltd which operates several websites offering search and booking facilities for low flights, claiming that the company is copying and extracting information from Ryanair’s website contrary to the Irish Trade Marks Act and the Copyright and Related Rights Act. We also understand that Ryanair’s claim includes claims of passing off and breach of its terms & conditions. 

   

In Germany, Ryanair was successful in a similar action where it secured an injunction against VTours GmbH. The injunction prevents the company from unlawfully accessing Ryanair’s website and presenting information on Ryanair’s flights and timetables for sale to VTours GmbH’s customers.

  

The VTours case sends out a clear message to those that copy and use information that appears on another party’s website and pass it off as their own that they should stop this activity immediately or else face the possibility of legal action being taken against them.  As the information may belong to (and be the intellectual property rights of) a third party, companies cannot simply copy the information and pass it off as their own! Consent to use and copy the information should always be obtained.

     

Contact your legal advisor today if (a) you are the owner of intellectual property right which you want to protect or else licence to a third party; or (b) you would like to reach an agreement with a third party to use their intellectual property rights.