Ryanair loses appeals against Italy's Covid aid to airlines

The budget airline had brought ⁠the case as it sought to annul a 2020 aid scheme set up by Italy to support ‌airlines licensed in the country

Ryanair alleged the aid was discriminatory and that the approval by the European Commission breached procedural rules.

Wed, 08 Jul, 2026 - 16:23

Examiner reporter

The European Union's General Court on Wednesday ‌dismissed appeals lodged by low-cost airline Ryanair against an Italian state aid scheme approved to support airlines during the Covid pandemic.

The court ruled that the aid scheme consisting of subsidies paid by Italy to airlines affected by the Covid-19 crisis "was compliant with EU law", insofar as ⁠it did not breach the principle of non-discrimination, nor ‌the ‌principles of freedom to provide services and the freedom of establishment.