With two of our biggest events now over, the madness of May is over. Here are some of the big stories you may have missed

The big events of May were a success and now we are ready to head into summer. We know it’s been busy so here are some of the big stories you might have missed this past month.

1. Ryanair: ruthless on cost, ruthless with data and heading into retail

Put Tnooz’s lippy editor Kevin May on a podium with the just as lippy Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer, and you have the recipe for a great session – and a popular story. In a well-prepared grilling by May, Jacobs admitted that: “In 2014, we got our shit together. We caught up”. Yes, Ryanair, it seems, has reformed from the airline with arguably the worst online user experience in the world to one surfing close to the digital edge. Jacobs shares insights about where the airline is heading with ancillaries, on what metasearch means and its future relationship with OTAs. You may or may not be pleased to hear that the notorious Irish carrier no longer has an: “We absolutely won’t work with anybody rule”. Still, if you think the transformation to “being lovely guys” is complete, think again – that’s not what customers want, says Jacobs, they just want “to trust us to give them what we promise”.

2. Europe declares war on ‘scary’ Google

In this analysis piece, Pamela Whitby and Sally White look behind the scenes to understand the backstory behind the European Union’s investigation into Google. Unsurprisingly, it seems mobile is the word and this is where Google has seen the dollar signs; a report last autumn by analysts at US investment bank Evercore sheds light on just how interesting mobile is to the search giant’s travel objectives. Nobody in the travel industry is willing to comment openly but let’s just say whatever Google does will be closely watched.

3. Why digital transformation is enough to make your eyes water

In another story penned during the course of EyeforTravel’s European Travel Distribution Summit, we heard that ‘easy is the new loyalty’. ‘Simplicity’ was another common thread, as was the need to get back to fundamentals. While big data is important, you need to get the small data right first and put passion before product.

"Digital change is really about getting back to fundamentals and working out what is core and what isn’t. Many incumbents just scratch the surface,” said Joerg Esser, Group Head of Longtail & MD Hotels4U told the audience, just one of the many senior executives quoted in this analysis piece.

4. When disaster strikes, how should YOU the travel industry respond?

Amid the devastation and despair following the recent earthquakes in Nepal, Pamela Whitby considers what the travel industry could do to help trade in tourism. Some hope came from a global study from e-Dreams ODIGEO, Europe’s largest online travel agency (OTA), which found that while bookings sometimes fall in a year following a disaster, this isn’t always the case - and in some cases they even rise. We cite examples. Tourism consultant Jean-Marc Flambert, a former director of tourist boards in the disaster-struck countries of Sri Lanka and Haiti called for aid not trade and the need to use the global stage to draw on goodwill and help relaunch tourism.

5. No mobile strategy? You’re already behind, says Google

As we said earlier, whenever Google speaks the travel industry sits up. And this story was no exception with Rob Torres, Google MD of Travel, sharing his tips on how to get your mobile strategy in ship-shape. There are lots of links to useful websites such as this Google’s mobile guide and its 2014 Traveler’s Road to Decision Study.