A HIGH Court judge will rule next week whether a firm selling London rail tickets from kiosks at Dublin Airport is entitled to orders restraining Ryanair from allegedly intimidating its staff pending the outcome of a full court action.
Pending his decision next week, Mr Justice John MacMenamin has continued interim injunctions restraining the alleged intimidation.
Ryanair has denied the claims made by Ticket Generator Ltd, a UK company, which won a public tender to sell Stansted Express rail tickets as part of a “non-exclusive” contract at terminals one and two in Dublin Airport.
Mel Christle SC, on behalf of TGL, said the alleged behaviour of Ryanair has caused damage to the company and it would lead to the “extinguishment of Ticket Generator’s business in Terminal One”.
He said TGL’s business had started well in Terminal One but Ryanair had interfered with its sale of tickets to such an extent that “sales plummeted” there.
TGL has claimed its business at the airport was close to collapse due to an orchestrated campaign of harassment, bullying and obstruction of its staff by Ryanair and its agents.
The court yesterday heard ticket sales in Terminal One from where Ryanair operates, had fallen from 394 a week to 183 a week while sales had remained constant in Terminal Two. TGL has also alleged that passengers making their way to the kiosk were obstructed and flyers were handed out containing misleading claims about TGL’s ticket prices being more expensive than Ryanair’s.
Mr Christle said the recruitment agency supplying staff to TGL at the airport had stated staff were reluctant to be sent to work at the kiosks in Terminal One. “We have never shied away from legitimate competition,” he added.
Martin Hayden SC, for Ryanair, said the allegations were “completely vague” in relation to staff conduct. Neither Stansted nor the Dublin Airport Authority had raised any issue with Ryanair over the ticket sales, he added.
Ryanair was selling tickets more cheaply than TGL, he said. TGL had also indicated to customers there may not be tickets available on board Ryanair flights, he said.
“Competition is competition. You might not like it but that is what it is.” Mr Hayden said his clients were very clearly saying they had not committed any offence.