Ryanair Holdings PLC
16 May 2007
RYANAIR WELCOMES GERMAN COURT DISMISSAL OF LUFTHANSA CLAIMS AGAINST FRANKFURT
HAHN
Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline, today (Wednesday, 16th May 2007)
welcomed the decision of the Regional Court of Bad Kreuznach in Germany, which
dismissed claims made by Lufthansa against Ryanair's deal with Frankfurt Hahn
Airport. Lufthansa have consistently tried to block competition from Ryanair in
Frankfurt Hahn Airport, including trying to stop Ryanair from using the name of
the airport (!) when Ryanair opened its second continental base there in 2002.
In the case thrown out today by the Court in Bad Kreuznach,Lufthansa was
attempting to use the state aid rules to overturn Ryanair's deal with Frankfurt
Hahn, something that other high fare carriers have sought to do in the past.
However, the court rejected all of Lufthansa's claims.
Welcoming the decision of the Court, Ryanair's Head of Regulatory Affairs and
Company Secretary, Jim Callaghan, said:
'We are delighted with today's ruling of the Court in Bad Kreuznach,
which dismissed all of Lufthansa's spurious claims regarding Ryanair's
commercial deal with Frankfurt Hahn. This latest legal action by
Lufthansa shows how desperate they are to block competition from
Ryanair. Lufthansa have tried every trick in the book since we entered
the German market to deny German consumers the benefits of Ryanair's low
fares, including constantly running to the German courts. The fact that
they would try to undermine Ryanair's successful partnership with
Frankfurt Hahn Airport, the fastest growing and most successful low cost
airport in Europe, proves that consumers and visitors to Germany are
choosing Ryanair's low fare services to Frankfurt Hahn over Lufthansa's
high fares in Frankfurt Main.
'In 2005, Ryanair announced that it was expanding its partnership with
Frankfurt Hahn and would base up to 18 aircraft at the low cost
alternative to Frankfurt. This was about the time when Lufthansa decided
to lodge its claims to the Regional Court of Bad Kreuznach and they also
sent a similar complaint to the European Commission. This is despite the
fact that Frankfurt Hahn Airport is owned by Fraport, one of the most
successful commercial airport operators in the world, and in which
Lufthansa has a 10% share holding!
'Today's ruling is a major victory for Ryanair's successful partnership
with Frankfurt Hahn Airport but also for German consumers and visitors
to Germany, who now have a choice over Lufthansa's high fares.
'This is the second defeat suffered by Lufthansa in recent weeks. An
appeals court recently upheld an injunction against Lufthansa where they
were trying to create the impression that they offer low fares. The
Court found that Lufthansa's advertising was misleading to consumers.
'Ryanair is also calling on the European Commission to reject
Lufthansa's complaint, which contains the same spurious claims as those
dismissed by the Court in Bad Kreuznach.'
Ends. Wednesday, 16th May 2007
For reference: Peter Sherrard - Ryanair Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants
Tel: +353-8121228 Tel: +353-1-4980300
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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