Aim to let shares ‘float’ if Ryanair stake diluted

Aer Lingus hopes to use any future dilution of Ryanair’s near 30% stakeholding to significantly boost the number of shares it has in free float.

Only a third of Aer Lingus’s shares are owned by public shareholders — with Ryanair owning 29.8%, the Government nearly 25% and Etihad Airways over 4%.

Ryanair is currently in the midst of appealing a UK Competition Commission order to lower its stake in the former State-controlled carrier to 5%; having already failed in one appeal. A ruling is expected next January.