Ryanair: New agreement with DerbySoft

In another strategic move to strengthen its approved ticket sales channels, Ryanair today (Wednesday, 18 June) announced its partnership with DerbySoft, a global travel technology company, which now acquires the title of “Approved OTA Aggregator” of the Irish low-cost airline.

As part of the agreement, DerbySoft will be able to offer Ryanair’s low-cost flights to its network of OTA (Online Travel Agencies) partners, subject to full price transparency for the consumer. At the same time, customers who book Ryanair through these partner OTAs will not need to go through the company’s verification process, as they will automatically have access to their myRyanair account and will receive updates about their flights directly.

Transparency and control of distribution

This new addition comes to Ryanair’s list of “approved partners” – a list that the company has been systematically developing in recent years, with the aim of limiting unauthorized bookings that are often accompanied by “hidden charges” and a lack of information to the customer. Agreements have already been signed with well-known names in the OTA market, such as Expedia, loveholidays, Kiwi, Trip.com, TUI, eSky, and On the Beach, among others.

DerbySoft is Ryanair’s fourth approved aggregator, covering markets in Europe and Asia, and joins existing aggregators Travelfusion, Paxport, and PKFARE, the latter of which is also DerbySoft’s technology partner in its new “Flight Services” unit.

Comments from both sides

Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Dara Brady, said:

“We are excited to be working with DerbySoft. This new agreement allows us to further expand access to our network in a transparent manner and without additional burdens for the customer. It is another step towards a fair and reliable partnership with the OTA market.”

For DerbySoft, co-founder and CEO Ted Zhang described the partnership as a “milestone” for the company’s entry into the airline connectivity space, noting:

“By combining DerbySoft’s expertise in connectivity technology and PKFARE’s expertise in airline distribution, we are creating new data for OTA travel sales, offering high-performance solutions for both airlines and their distributors.”

Market relevance

The Ryanair-DerbySoft deal comes at a time when airline distribution is transforming, with airlines seeking greater control over where and how their products are sold, primarily for reasons of pricing transparency and customer relationships. Ryanair’s “approved OTA” model creates a new paradigm for collaboration in the travel industry, removing practices that have been repeatedly accused of being misleading, such as overpricing, additional fees, and the failure to provide booking details to the end customer.

Against the backdrop of increasing demand for personalized and easy bookings globally, this strategic alliance is likely to significantly impact the future of airline ticket distribution via OTAs, offering a more transparent, collaborative, and customer-centric approach.