Ryanair hit back at the EU Commission today ahead of its expected move to block the budget carrier’s proposed takeover of Aer Lingus later this week.
The company called a press conference in Brussels to respond to ‘recent leaks’ from within the Commission indicating it was on the verge of blocking Ryanair’s offer.
Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary claimed such a move would fly in the face of 20 years of EU airline consolidation and would be unjustified as the two airlines accounted for less than 5% of the EU air travel market.
“We call on the Commission to explain how it can rubber stamp mergers between larger airlines such as Air France/KLM, Lufthansa/Swiss and Lufthansa/Austrian when these airlines have bigger positions at their home airports than the combined Ryanair/Aer Lingus share at Dublin Airport,” O’Leary said.
“It is obvious that the Commission is applying a unique and unprecedented set of rules in the Ryanair/Aer Lingus case.”
O’Leary went on to claim the Commission’s Statement of Objections contained “over 100 material errors and inaccuracies”.
Ryanair, which expects the prohibition decision to be announced by DG Competition over the coming week, said it would appeal any such ruling in the European Court of First Instance.
“We are confident that the European Courts will overturn this bizarre, illogical, manifestly inaccurate and untenable prohibition,” said O’Leary.
The airline also confirmed it would oppose any attempt by the European Commission to force it to dispose of its 25% stake in Aer Lingus.