Ryanair loses final challenge to Aer Lingus stake probe

Ryanair has lost its final challenge to the UK Competitions Commissions investigation into its 30% stake in Aer Lingus after that country’s Supreme Court refused to review a decision to allow an investigation by a lower court.

The Supreme Court ordered that “permission to appeal be refused because the application does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance”.

Legal wrangling has been ongoing since Ryanair bought a stake in Aer Lingus in 2006 as part of its first takeover bid for its Irish rival, which was ultimately blocked by the EU.