Ryanair, the biggest budget airline in Europe, has said it has furnished evidence to an investigation being conducted by the European Commission that unauthorised “ticket-touting” websites were consistently over-charging travellers. The airline also insisted that it would continue its the policy of not honouring tickets sold by websites other than its own website.

Ryanair, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, had, at the beginning of August 2008, started cancelling and reimbursing up to 500 bookings a day made by online ticket agents known as “screenscrapers” who were selling the tickets to passengers at higher prices.

Also, the Irish airline, which has its biggest operational base at London Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom, had alleged that “screenscrapers” were slowing down its website and reducing the chance of the carrier’s clients accessing it, violating the terms of agreement and the conditions of sale, the purchase prices and the issuing rights.

The drastic move by Ryanair of not honouring tickets sold trough “ticket-touting” websites had led to protests by many passengers. Thousands of passengers were, as a result, forced to cancel their summer holidays, media reports said.

Consequently, the European Commission sent an official letter to Ryanair seeking information and an explanation of the carrier’s conduct, which was apparently in violation of the law on contracts and passenger rights.

A statement from Ryanair said the airline had provided the European Commission with evidence of 4 websites – Bravofly.com, Edreams.com, Volgratis.com and Wegelo.com – on which Ryanair’s ticket prices had been increased by 200% to 300%.

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, explained in the statement: “We are now calling on the European Commission … to take action to force these unauthorised, illegal screen scraper/ticket tout websites to desist from unlawfully overcharging consumers. It is remarkable, but unsurprising, that a number of European government agencies and the European Commission have sought to blame Ryanair for blocking the illegal activities of these screenscrapers, instead of tackling the real consumer scandal which is the hidden mark-ups being levied and overcharged on consumers.”

Ryanair had said in early August 2008 that the Irish “screenscraper” BravoFly Ltd had agreed to stop using Ryanair’s website after the airline resorted to legal action.