RYANAIR TO APPEAL ITALIAN COURT’S DECSION TO BLOCK LOW FAR

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Ryanair News
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News Release
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12.05.06
RYANAIR TO APPEAL ITALIAN COURT’S DECSION TO BLOCK LOW FARES AND COMPETITON

Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 low fares airline today (12th May) stated that it will appeal the decision of the regional administrative court of Lazio to stop Ryanair and Easyjet’s low fare flights on routes between mainland Italy and Sardinia.

The Italian authorities blocked Ryanair’s low fare flights between Rome and Alghero by imposing a Public Service Obligation on the route in spite of the fact that 2 airlines (Ryanair and Airone) were already operating year round flights between Rome and Alghero. This is not allowed under European PSO rules. These rules have also been abused by the Italian authorities because Alitalia is being allowed to fly on PSO routes to Sardinia when it did not even apply to operate them in the first place.

Speaking today Peter Sherrard, Ryanair’s Head of Communications said:

“We have instructed our lawyers to appeal this decision to the European courts to ensure that low fares and competition are allowed in Italy. It is astonishing that while Ryanair has been blocked from offering low fares between mainland Italy and Sardinia, Alitalia is being allowed to sell its high fares on PSO routes that it did not even apply for”.

“The PSO system in Europe is clearly out of control. It is being abused by national governments to protect high fare flag carriers while at the same time blocking low fare competition. Italian consumers and visitors should not be forced to pay higher fares because the Italian authorities are abusing the PSO system to protect Alitalia and other high fare Italian airlines”.