The budget airline Ryanair is loved by some, loathed by others. But it survives as it is cheap, if you do not add in the extras! One of those who loathed it was Robert Tyler, from Walthamstow, north-east London, who set up a website using the domain name ihateryanair.co.uk for travellers to tell their tales of woe.
However Ryanair objected to the many horror stories being told and complained to Nominet, the registry for .UK domain names, in April. Nominet in a 22 page decision has now directed the domain name be transferred to Ryanair, the complainant.
But the panellist said "this case quite literally turned on the Respondent's receipt of £322 and whether or not it was unfair." The said £322 was received from links and advertising to sites, some of which were to competitors, some of which was critical of Ryanair and commercial links to third party sites offering travel insurance and foreign currency.
The panellist hearing the case also noted that it "also raises a point of general principle in terms of whether or not it is permissible to register a non confusing domain name which contains a company's brand and then point it to a criticism website with commercial links. The wording of the Policy leaves some room for doubt in this regard."
The panellist also says "it is therefore with some regret that the Expert orders the transfer of the Domain Name in this case. It should be noted that this decision relates solely to the Domain Name itself and the Respondent's previous use of it and has no bearing on the existence of the website to which the Domain Name is pointing."
However the registrant has now had the next laugh and has the website up and running again, this time using ihateryanair.org.
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