Airline Post

Updated – Air France files complaint against Ryanair

by Dave on 11/03/10 at 11:48 am

According to an article published today in the French newspaper Le Figaro, Air France is file a complaint against Ryanair at the European Commission for receiving hundreds of millions of euros in illegal subsidies.

According to Air France, Ryanair received 660 million euros in 2008 in the form of reduced landing fees and airport taxes. While Air France avoided to make any comments regarding their action, Ryanair said the accusations are false, a spokesman adding: “It’s Air France that is getting illegal aid in terms of reduced airport taxes on its domestic routes in France.”

The European Commission opened an investigation to see if Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline, is getting preferential treatment at European airports.

Previously, in 2008, Ryanair won an appeal when a European anti-trust court overturned a decision from Brussels, that made the company reimburse aid received from a regional airport in Belgium.

The news will be updated as soon as we receive more info.

Here is a list of all illegal subsidies of Ryanair’s in France (source AirObserver):

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