RY files case against BAA

Ryanair Holdings PLC
22 July 2004


                RYANAIR FILES MONOPOLY ABUSE CASE AGAINST BAA PLC

Ryanair Holdings plc today (22 July 2004) announced that it had filed documents
this morning at the High Court in London alleging monopoly abuse of fuel levies
by BAA plc, dominant operators of London airports and owners of London Stansted
airport.

The BAA at Stansted built a fuel hydrant system in 1991 at an alleged cost of
£12.5m. BAA introduced a fuel levy charge, which was designed to recoup this
cost. Since then, the BAA has given repeated undertakings in writing that this
levy will be eliminated when the capital costs were recovered. BAA have broken
these agreements and to date BAA Stansted has, in a 14 year period, recovered
over £34m in fuel levies, three times the original cost.

Ryanair has a long history of opposing anti consumer charges by dominant or
monopoly airports. If there was competition between the three BAA owned London
airports, this fuel levy scam would not exist.

We look forward to the Courts ending this price gouging by a dominant airport
operator on both low fare airlines and their passengers.

The company has for the past 12 months sought to negotiate reductions in the
fuel levy at London Stansted airport, which has resulted in overcharging for
many years.

Commenting on this rip off fuel levy, Howard Millar, Chief Financial Officer of
Ryanair said:

        'We can no longer allow the BAA to continue to charge £5m per annum in
        fuel levies to recoup the cost of a fuel hydrant system that was built
        14 years ago for £12.5m. The hydrant system has been paid for three
        times over and accordingly the fuel levy is a rip off overcharge.
        Arising from this legal action filed today, we anticipate a substantial
        reduction in the fuel levy in the order of £4m per annum.

        The company's existing airport charges agreement, which ends in 2007,
        will not be impacted by this legal action. The company's payments are
        current and until the rip off levy has been reduced, we will not agree
        to any increased charges at London Stansted airport.'

For further information please contact:

Howard Millar                 Pauline McAlester
Ryanair Holdings plc          Murray Consultants
Tel: [phone]            Tel: [phone]




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