Statement re EU Investigation

Ryanair Holdings PLC
11 December 2002


 RYANAIR WELCOMES EU COMMISSION INVESTIGATION AND IS CONFIDENT IT WILL CONFIRM
   THE SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BRUSSELS CHARLEROI AIRPORT AND RYANAIR

RYANAIR LAUNCHES 200,000 BRUSSELS CHARLEROI SEAT SALE FROM €9.99

Ryanair welcomes any investigation by the EU Commission into our successful low
fares operation at Brussels Charleroi Airport. In response to the Commission's
statement this afternoon we wish to highlight the following points;

 1. The arrangements between Ryanair and Brussels Charleroi Airport comply with
    the principle of the private investor in a market economy. Brussels
    Charleroi successfully secured the three base aircraft, over 100 direct
    Ryanair jobs, and 1.5 million passengers per annum in head to head
    competition with three other competing base airports.

 2. Ryanair and Brussels Charleroi both agreed that these arrangements would be
    non exclusive, in so far as they are also on offer to any other airline that
    wishes to invest on a like for like basis (i.e. base aircraft, create jobs,
    offer low fares, launch new routes and guarantee passenger volumes) as
    Ryanair has in Brussels Charleroi and the Walloon Region.

 3. The dramatic success of the tourism partnership between Brussels Charleroi
    and Ryanair has resulted in over 1.5 million passengers per annum on
    Ryanair's 10 routes to/from Brussels Charleroi Airport. These consumers are
    saving over €150m over the high fares being charged by other European
    airlines. The support of the travelling public for the Ryanair - Brussels
    Charleroi partnership is a clear and unambiguous statement of 'consumer
    wishes' which the Commission cannot ignore.


Lastly Ryanair welcomes the Commission's statement that it wishes to ensure a
level playing field. This is particularly timely in light of last week's
discriminatory proposal to impose compensation penalties on airlines without
imposing them on other competing forms of transport such as ferries, trains and
the bus operators. We hope that the Commission will now alter these proposals,
as it stresses in its own statement 'to ensure a level playing field'.

Ryanair will continue to fight for low fares all over Europe.

We are delighted to have this opportunity to highlight our low fares services to
/from Brussels Charleroi. To re-enforce our commitment to low fares, we are
offering an amazing 200,000 seats to/from Brussels Charleroi, from just €9.99
including tax* to ten destinations all over Europe. Ryanair will be seeking an
early meeting with the Commission to fully address any queries the Commission
may have so that we can continue the successful development of low fare air
transport all over Europe.

*Bookings can be made until midnight Thursday. Full details see www.RYANAIR.COM

Editors Note:

Brussels Charleroi was the fourth of Ryanair's six non Irish European bases. It
was preceded by London Luton, London Stansted, Glasgow Prestwick and succeeded
by Frankfurt Hahn and Milan Bergamo.

Ends.                         Wednesday, 11th December 2002

For further information

please contact:  Paul Fitzsimmons          Pauline McAlester
                 Ryanair                   Murray Consultants
                 Tel. [phone]      Tel. [phone]


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