Ryanair fails to stop OFT probe

RYANAIR has lost a ruling to block Britain’s anti-trust regulator from investigating its minority stake in Aer Lingus, acquired four years ago.

Yesterday’s judgment from the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London backs the British Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) decision to investigate Ryanair’s 30% holding in Aer Lingus four years after the share purchase was completed.

Ryanair had argued the watchdog waited too long to start the probe.