Ryanair ready to fight adverse EU ruling

RYANAIR said yesterday that it doesn’t believe the European Commission (EC) will force it to sell its 25.17% stake in Aer Lingus.

The low fares specialist added that it was willing to take the EC to court if it were forced to do so.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary also said he has been “deluged” by European and US airports interested in his plan for a discount trans-Atlantic airline.

Mr O’Leary said last week that it was a fair assumption that the EU was gearing up finally to reject a Ryanair takeover of Aer Lingus, on the back of it receiving a number of formal objections. The main complaint was that such a move would lead to significant barriers for other airlines entering Dublin Airport. If the EU does reach that decision, Ryanair intends to hold its Aer Lingus stake.

However, the EU may order that, as it can’t take the company over, Ryanair must sell any existing shareholding in Aer Lingus.

Mr O’Leary said yesterday that he knew of no actual airline competitors who made the claim that entry into Dublin Airport would be negatively affected by a Ryanair Aer Lingus takeover.

Meanwhile, Mr O’Leary yesterday reiterated his company’s views that Dublin Airport’s second terminal was a waste of time and money, as the current plans meant it was poorly designed, in terms of location at the airport, and didn’t add any capacity.

His address came on the eve of the start of An Bord Pleanala’s oral hearing into the proposed development, which is set to cost €840 million, but will still cater for 15m people (the same capacity as when the plan was set to cost €170m).