Ryanair readies for Aer Lingus legal action

RYANAIR has threatened to take Aer Lingus to court over its decision to reject Ryanair’s request for an extraordinary general meeting over the pull-out from the Shannon-Heathrow route.

In a letter to Aer Lingus chairman John Sharman, Ryanair secretary Jim Callaghan said the rejection was unlawful. “We have referred this unlawful behaviour to our legal advisers and will consider with them whether we should pursue our shareholder rights under the Companies Act 1963 or through the courts.”

Mr Callaghan said Aer Lingus management does not have any discretion in the matter and that Aer Lingus’s articles of association and the Companies Act oblige the board of the airline to comply with any request from a shareholder owning 10% or more to hold an EGM, at any time.