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RYANAIR HAS VOWED to keep fighting a ruling that it sell down its major stake in rival carrier Aer Lingus.
The budget airline today lost its appeal against an order from the UK Competition Markets Authority (CMA) to cut its Aer Lingus share from nearly 30% to 5%.
The UK Court of Appeal again rejected Ryanair’s bid to overturn the ruling, which the airline complained was disproportionate and went against European Union regulations.
In a statement, Ryanair said it would appeal the case to the UK Supreme Court “as it raises human rights issues of significant public importance, including the scope of protection offered to businesses by the right to property”.
The airline also said it wanted a review of the competition watchdog’s decision because of IAG’s recent approach to buy out Aer Lingus.
The British Airways and Iberia parent company has made a provisional offer to take over the Irish carrier for a price of about €1.35 billion.
Findings wrong and ‘unsubstantiated’
Ryanair said that offer would “fully disprove the theories and unsubstantiated evidence on which the (CMA decision) was based”.
“The CMA speculated in its final report that Ryanair’s 29% shareholding would deter other airlines from merging with or bidding for Aer Lingus,” its statement said.
Clearly, IAG’s recent offers demonstrate that the CMA’s findings were wrong and that its divestment remedies must be revoked in light of this compelling evidence.”
Aer Lingus said in a statement it welcomed the latest decision against Ryanair’s “attempts to derail” the regulator’s findings that its shareholding was anti-competitive.
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Interesting argument. A good delaying tactic and why should Ryanair lose out if IAG are bidding more?
How can a UK regulatory body instruct an Irish airline to dispose it’s shares in an other Irish airline ???????.
Listed on the London stock market
They actually work for the consumers. If the Irish one did their job they would of said it
I was just gonna post thet myself @Tony
But yes it does feel wrong, also at a time when the whole government shareholding saga is going on. Surly this ruling will have an effect on it
The routes.
They are the things the Spanish group are promising to “protect” – temporarily.
Its because of their large exposure to the UK market. They were not forcing Ryanair to reduce its stake. They were forcing Ryanair to reduce its stake IF they wished to continue to serve the UK market. Of course that’s a ludicrous suggestion so the media are reporting this as if its necessity for Ryanair to do so
30c for midweek trips to Copenhagen this morning.
Great price to Copenhagen but this is just a usual tactic by Ryanair to force Aerlingus out of this route. When this happens wait and see what the prices Other passengers on other routes are subsidising this
I think the Uk ruling is right competition must not be stifled. I was initially in favour of Ryanair taking control of Aerlingus but when I seen what Ryanair charges on routes where they have a monopoly or on routes they know are busy I quickly changed my mind! Ryanair are cheap on routes that people don’t necessary have to go on.
Ryanair is prohibited by the EU and the UK Courts from acquiring Aer Lingus !
Why?
IAG is allowed to acquire Aer Lingus.
Why?
IAG is becoming a monopoly!
Strange Laws.
CAN ANBODY EXPLAIN WHY?
1 route with IAG and not 50+ with FR/EI
Come on now dermot. Totally different animal. Ryanair has a crossover of about 80% on aer lingus’ routes…BA has a crossover of 1 route and vueling on another…silly thing to say that iag are becoming a monopoly.
Ryanair operate around 45% of capacity out of Dublin and aer lingus roughly the same…
At first look it seems they have a point . A bit unfair on them it the midst of volatile prices during a takeover process. Millions of Euro at stake.
Human rights Michael what about your staff having to buy your uniforms,pilots having to sort out own accommodation whilst working for you aboard ,paying for their training .Your a bully what i have heard over the years is a disgrace i would let my kids work for someone like that.
Human rights ex aerlingus staff have lost 50 to 60 % of their own money in pensions and you laugh off as stupid argument ,your fighting HUMAN RIGHTS .
Human rights for you is that you wont Aerlingus like some spoiled child ,sale the stake let Aerlingus get on with its business you have restraint that company for years ,the political party FF should never have let you buy into aerlingus .
How much money do you really need obsessed MONEY MONEY,in interviews every 10 seconds ryanair ryanair boring move on .
Sale your stake NOW
John I can’t say I agree. I used to work for Ryanair. I found the work environment really favorable, cheap food in the canteen and lots of potential to earn good money. There were a lot of little perks, more so than with other office jobs.
So what do you not agree with Laura?
What did John say that was untrue?
So what perks did you get exactly working for Ryanair? Care to list them?
Hum!!!!
I’m calling your bluff.
So let’s hear about it all….
Jeez tom I had a good experience with an employer got free flights, lots of incentives and flexibility to name but a few perks. It wasn’t a dream job but at the time I was an unskilled worker earning good money. They were not the bully employers everyone likes to think they are.
This was my personal experience there is no bluff to be called! And what’s with the attitude you seem very annoyed over such an insignificant comment.
Ryanair advocating “human rights” ,
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.
Sounds like an Oxymoron.
a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true ).
Human rights – no. A corporate entity is never human, no matter how cuddly Michael O’Beancounter wants us to think it is!
Oliver I can only see that price, From Copenhagen!!
I know I’m missing something are not both aerlingus and Ryanair both Irish and Irish registered companies.
So how is the British competition authority ruling in anyway valid? Or how do the British courts have any say in this matter? If both companies are outside there
The reason the British court ruled on this is because Ireland is the only country in the EU that doesn’t have a law stating that a competitor cannot have a major shareholding in your company which affects day to day business…and since Ryanair & Aer Lingus conduct considerable business in the UK, the UK court can rule on it.
have your say