• Ryanair Boeing 737
    Ryanair
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    FR/RYR
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Dublin Airport, London Stansted Airport, Milan Bergamo Airport
    Year Founded:
    1985
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    Eddie Wilson
    Country:
    Ireland

Ryanair has lost an appeal that it filed with the General Court of the European Union regarding the legitimacy of government aid provided to German leisure carrier Condor. The Irish low-cost carrier has challenged several financial bailouts in recent times, calling them unfair. Let's take a look at what the ruling means.

An unsuccessful appeal

Earlier today, the result of Ryanair's challenge against Condor's government bailout became known. This comes a week after the ruling on the matter was pushed back indefinitely. As Simple Flying reported at the time of the deferral, the aid package in question provided to Condor by Germany was valued at €321.2 million.

Ryanair had objected to the funding on the basis of Condor having already received a similar aid package to its coronavirus rescue deal when its parent company, Thomas Cook, collapsed in 2019. It also argued that Germany only wants to provide such help to airlines from the country, even though others (including itself) have a significant presence there. As reported by RTE, the EU's General Court concluded:

"The applicant did not succeed in rebutting the Commission's findings that Condor's difficulties were the result mainly of the Thomas Cook group being placed into liquidation and not of an arbitrary allocation of costs within the group. The General Court dismisses the action in its entirety."

Condor Airbus A330
Ryanair and Condor have been locked in a legal battle for almost a year. Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying

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A longstanding dispute

The EU General Court's ruling brings an end to a legislative tussle that had been ongoing for almost a year. Back in June 2021, Ryanair initially won its appeal, which blocked Germany from furnishing Condor with a €550 million ($577 million) bailout to support it during the coronavirus pandemic. However, this was not the end.

Indeed, the EU later granted the German government permission to loan Condor a sum of €321.2 million ($337.1 million) following a re-assessment of the case. Ryanair subsequently also objected to this bailout, arguing that Condor was not struggling because of the pandemic, but rather due to the collapse of Thomas Cook.

As it happens, Condor is far from the only European carrier whose state aid Ryanair has argued against. Indeed, February 2021 saw it launch an appeal after losing a legal battle concerning aid given to Air France and SAS. Two months later, it lost a similar case after challenging support provided to Finnair and SAS. Later that year, LOT Polish Airlines became the latest target of Ryanair's legal crusades.

Ryanair Boeing 737-800
Photo: Jake Hardiman | Simple Flying

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Ryanair has also been in court recently regarding a workplace injury suffered by one of its cabin supervisors in February 2018. According to the Irish Examiner, Ireland's High Court has ruled that the low-cost carrier must pay €84,790 ($89,141) to Fiona Nangle, who 'suffered a spiral fracture to her right humerus' after slipping on de-icing fluid while working on one of the airline's Dublin-Warsaw flights.

What do you make of the court's ruling? Is Ryanair right to oppose state aid provided to other European carriers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Simple Flying has reached out to Ryanair for comment on the ruling.

Sources: Irish Examiner, RTE