Welcomes Decision to Break-Up

RNS Number : 1352P

Ryanair Holdings PLC

19 March 2009

 



Ryanair Welcomes Competition Commission's DECISION TO break-up THE BAA MONOPOLY

Renews call for harry bush to resign OR BE SACKED

Ryanair, Britain's largest airline, today (19th Mar 09) welcomed the Competition Commission's final report which recommends the break-up of the BAA Monopoly's control over London's three main airports.  This groundbreaking report will result in Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted finally being freed to compete against each other to provide low cost better services at lower prices for airport users and consumers. 

The Competition Commission's report confirms that the BAA Airport Monopoly has been bad for competition and bad for consumers and highlights the abject failure of the CAA to properly or effectively regulate the BAA monopoly.

Ryanair believes that regulator Harry Bush's position is now untenable and he should resign or be sacked.

Ryanair's Director of Legal & Regulatory Affairs, Jim Callaghan, said:

'Ryanair welcomes the Competition Commission's final report and fully endorses its findings including its justified criticism of the CAA regulatory regime which has repeatedly failed passengers and airlines for so many years.   The BAA Monopoly has long ignored the needs of its airline users and the travelling public and provided inefficient, gold plated and overly expensive facilities, encouraged by an ineffectual and incompetent regulator, the CAA.  

'Monopolies don't work.  The BAA monopoly has done enormous damage to competition and the travelling public and Ryanair welcomes the CC's recommendation to break-up the BAA Airport Monopoly. Competition in the airline industry has delivered huge benefits for consumers and this will now be replicated at the three main London airports.  Ryanair looks forward to working with the new owner of Stansted and we call on the Competition Commission to ensure the early sale of both Gatwick and Stansted Airports.

'We once again call on failed regulator Harry Bush to resign as the CC report once again highlights his abject failure to effectively regulate the out of control and abusive BAA Monopoly.  Regulatory failure such as his warrants and deserves the sack as his regulatory incompetence has led to higher costs and abject services for the travelling public, which has directly led to the collapse of passenger numbers at the BAA airports over the past year'.

Ends.                                                    Thursday, 19th March, 2009

For further information:

Stephen McNamara- Ryanair             Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants 

Tel: [phone]                      Tel: [phone]

 

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