High Court Appeal

Ryanair Holdings PLC
07 April 2008




RYANAIR SUBMITS HIGH COURT APPEAL OF AVIATION REGULATOR'S 50% PRICE HIKES AT DAA
                                    MONOPOLY

Ryanair today, (Monday, 7th April 2008) confirmed that it will submit a High
Court appeal against the Aviation Regulator's recent decision to rubber stamp
another 50% increase in Dublin Airport check in desk charges (trebled from
€8,000 to €25,000 per desk in three years), and to approve a new DOUBLE charge
for check-in kiosks, despite the fact that airlines have already fully paid for
this terminal space, through inflated airport charges.

These price increases, which are more than 10 times the rate of inflation, mean
that the Regulator is again in breach of his statutory duties to 'protect the
reasonable interests' of Dublin Airport users. Instead of regulating the Dublin
Airport monopoly, Mr Guiomard has conspired with the DAA to rubberstamp further
unjustified price increases as these facts prove;

     1) The DAA monopoly refused to show users the basis for these further
        abusive price increases and dismissed user requests for this information
        saying it had been 'sent directly to the Aviation Regulator'.

     2) The Regulator then refused to publish the DAA monopoly's reasons for
        these price increases. When airport users requested them, he refused,
        claiming they were 'confidential and commercially sensitive'.

     3) Airport users were therefore denied any right to comment on these
        costs or price increases because they were refused access to them.

     4) The Regulator then completed this conspiracy, by refusing to publish
        any DAA explanation, on the grounds of 'confidentiality'.

Ryanair will also challenge Mr. Guiomard's preliminary approval for a new double
charging self- service kiosk rental in the terminal because:

     a) The space for these kiosks has been 'free' since 2005 when first
        introduced.

     b) All Dublin airlines have already fully paid for this terminal space
        through inflated airport terminal charges.

     c) Mr Guiomard himself confirmed on RTE Morning Ireland, that this means
        airlines and passengers will be 'double charged' for this same space.
 
Over the past 5 years this failed Regulator has presided over the following
unjustified increases, at a time when the average annual inflation rate was just
4%:

   • 31% increase in airport charges

   • 58% increase in car rental levy

   •100% increase in car parking charges

   •200% increase in check in desk charges

   • 4% average annual inflation rate!!!

He has also confirmed that the already high passenger charges at Dublin Airport
will double in future to pay for the over specified, over costed €800m Terminal
2.

Not alone is this Regulator incapable of controlling costs at the Dublin Airport
monopoly, he is also incapable of controlling his own costs. In the last five
years, costs at his overpaid, under worked office have doubled from €2m to €4m.
Average salaries have more than doubled to over €84,000 each, staff numbers have
increased by 40% and he wastes €1m p.a. on consultancy fees.

Speaking this morning, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary said:

'Cathal Guiomard has no credibility as an independent regulator and it is time
he resigned or was dismissed. He is a regulatory poodle, rubber stamping
unjustified price increases and double charging at the Government owned DAA
Monopoly. Airport costs at most UK and European airports are falling thanks to
lower cost facilities and competition. But in Ireland this failed Regulator is
allowing repeated, unjustified, inflation busting price increases at the DAA
monopoly.

'This expensive and time consuming legal action would not be necessary if the
Regulator was complying with his statutory duty to 'protect the reasonable
interests of users' from DAA monopoly abuse. However, if this incompetent
Regulator and the overpaid, overstaffed, under worked CAR Regulatory regime
won't protect airlines and consumers from this rampant monopoly abuse, then
perhaps the courts will'.


ENDS                                           Monday, 7th April 2008


For reference:

Peter Sherrard - Ryanair,                        Tel: [phone]

Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants,          Tel: [phone]


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