Aer Lingus passenger numbers fall almost 9%

AER Lingus passenger numbers plunged almost 9% last month as analysts warn that a third Ryanair bid could be on the cards.

The former state airline said total passenger numbers in June were 941,000, a fall of 8.6% compared with the same month last year.

The General Court of the EU ruled this week that the 2007 decision by European anti-trust officials in the case of Ryanair merging with Aer Lingus is valid. It also ruled that Ryanair can continue to hold its near 30% stake in Aer Lingus.