EU rule change ‘would close most of our airports’

Most of Ireland’s airports would be closed down if new rules being devised by the EU come into force, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary warned.

Mr O’Leary is at war with the European Commission over plans to change the guidelines on funding airports. The commission has 49 open cases, many involving airports Ryanair uses.

He came face to face with Gert-Jan Koopman, deputy-director of the commission’s competition directorate, and the person responsible for many of these state-aid cases at a conference in Brussels.