Irish airline Ryanair has launched High Court proceedings against Google and eDreams over claims they misled consumers.

The carrier claims they misled customers by advertising non-existent Ryanair fares via the eDreams website and Google search adverts.

Ryanair has also put the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on notice of the proceedings.

In its claim, Ryanair says eDreams "has been allowed by Google to use the misleading subdomains 'Ryanair Cheap Flights' and 'www.Ryanair.eDreams.com', and a copycat website with identical Ryanair branding, in order to deceive consumers into visiting the eDreams website, and booking with eDreams at inflated fares".

Ryanair says it has engaged in several legal cases across Europe against screenscraper websites - such as eDreams - to prevent consumers "from being deceived and subjected to false prices and hidden charges".

Ryanair adds that while it has no issues with Google selling advertising space, it has repeatedly called on Google to enforce transparency on its online advertising following numerous complaints from Ryanair customers.

Ryanair's chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said: "This Google/eDreams action is a repeat of a recently successful German court ruling which has outlawed eDreams deceptive advertising in Germany".

"This deception and mis-selling has led to a surge of consumer complaints and leaves Ryanair with no choice but to take legal action against both Google and eDreams, who continue to use Google search adverts to deceive consumers into booking Ryanair flights on the eDreams website at inflated fares".

"Both the subdomain eDreams uses, and the branding and design it employs on this site, are a deliberate attempt to dupe consumers into thinking they are directly booking Ryanair’s low fares," he added.