The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has initiated a competition supervision proceeding against Ryanair, suspecting the Irish-based low-cost airline of engaging in unfair commercial practices during its online ticket booking process, the authority announced on Tuesday.

According to the GVH, Ryanair’s Hungarian-language website may mislead consumers in multiple ways, particularly when booking return trips or tickets for multiple passengers. The authority suspects that the airline fails to adequately inform users that fare package prices and optional services—such as baggage and boarding preferences—must be paid separately for each leg and for each passenger.

The GVH highlighted the way prices for fare options like “Regular”, “Plus”, and “FlexiPlus”, as well as optional services like “Priority Boarding with 2 Cabin Bags” and “Security Fast Track”, are displayed. These practices may pressure consumers into choices they would not otherwise make.

The authority also raised concerns about potential psychological pressure during the booking process, citing the use of colors, visuals, and prompts that present the “Regular” fare as more attractive than the basic fare—despite the possibility of obtaining the same services at a lower total cost by adding them manually to the “Basic” fare.

GVH further noted that pop-up windows and urgency-inducing messages promoting the “Fast Track” service may unduly limit consumer choice, amounting to another suspected unfair practice.

While the launch of the investigation does not imply that a violation has occurred, the GVH will now assess the facts and determine whether Ryanair breached Hungarian competition rules. The process may take up to three months, extendable twice for two additional months each, if needed.

The GVH underlined that it has closely monitored the domestic aviation market in recent years, previously conducting a sector-wide analysis in 2022 on the use of psychological tactics and so-called “dark patterns” by low-cost carriers and price comparison websites.