Ryanair welcomes EU probe into Sardinia flights

Ryanair has welcomed the EU Commission's announcement of an inquiry into the abuse of PSO rules to block competition from low-fare airlines and protect high-fare Italian airlines.

On May 2, the Italian authorities blocked Ryanair and Easyjet from offering low-fare flights between mainland Italy and Sardinia.

In the three months since, Ryanair says that average fares have increased fourfold from €40 to €160.

Ryanair head of communications Peter Sherrard said: "Sardinian consumers and visitors are being ripped off, denied choice and paying fares four times higher than Ryanair's, solely as a result of the unlawful actions of the Italian authorities to block Ryanair's flights and permit the routes to be taken over by high-fare Italian airlines.”