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UK: Ryanair goes head-to-head with EC over forced Aer Lingus sell-off

By  |  July 7, 2013

The head of low-budget airline Ryanair attended a Competition Commission hearing to enthusiastically disagree with the regulator’s decision to block a merger between the airline and its competitor Aer Lingus in addition to requiring Ryanair to divest its current holding of 29.8 percent in the rival company. Ryanair head Michael O’Leary put politeness aside to denounce the Commission’s regulation, calling it a “bizarre waste of taxpayers’ money” and accusing the Commission of ignoring more than six years’ worth of evidence he says shows a merger would not harm competition. O’Leary made the comments days after his showing in front of the regulator. While the European Commission found increased competition within European carriers, the UK’s regulator will still continue the forced divesture of Aer Lingus stake, say reports.

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