EU promoting communism, claims Ryanair

RYANAIR has accused the European Commission of promoting “communism” by attempting to re-regulate the aviation industry through the introduction of an EU directive on airport charges.

The airline’s head of regulatory affairs Jim Callaghan yesterday claimed the proposed legislation would reverse the benefits of liberalisation. “The commission is trying to impose a form of communism on the market,” said Mr Callaghan.

Addressing a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on European Scrutiny, Mr Callaghan claimed airlines such as Ryanair should be entitled to lower airport charges because of the airline’s size and the fact it used less facilities at airports.