RYANAIR WELCOMES EU COURT CONFIRMATION THAT EUROPEAN COMMISSION FAILED TO INVESTIGATE ALITALIA STATE AID

Ryanair, Europe’s only ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC), today (16 May) welcomed the EU Court’s ruling which confirmed that the European Commission has failed to investigate “State Aid” granted to Alitalia.

Ryanair had initially notified the European Commission of Alitalia’s “State Aid” in June 2006. However, the Commission failed to act and Ryanair was left with no choice but to bring this case before the European Courts. Today’s decision reaffirms the 2011 decision of the European General Court, which also ruled that the Commission had failed in its duty to investigate this “State Aid”.

Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said:

“We welcome today’s ruling of the EU Court of Justice which upholds the EU General Court’s ruling that the EU Commission failed to investigate repeated “State Aid” to Alitalia, which has harmed competition in Europe and propped up a failing high-cost flag carrier to the detriment of European passengers.

We look forward to the Commission finally investigating this repeated “State Aid” and call on Alitalia to immediately repay the taxpayers’ money it has illegally received.”