RYANAIR CALLS ON EUROPEAN COMMISSION

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Ryanair News
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News Release
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19.06.06
RYANAIR CALLS ON EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO EXPEDITE INVESTIGATION AFTER FURTHER ABUSE OF PSO RULES IN ITALY


Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline today (19th June 2006) announced that it has written to the European Commission about the latest abuse of the PSO rules in Italy. Ryanair contacted the Commission following the announcement that Alitalia would be allowed to fly on a PSO route that it did not even apply for in the first place!

When the Italian Civil Aviation Authority blocked Ryanair and Easyjet from offering low fares, competition and choice to consumers between mainland Italy and Sardinia in May, the European Commission launched an investigation into the application of PSO rules in Italy. The PSO rules are being abused by the Italian authorities to protect high fare Italian airlines and block low fares and competition.

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

“We are calling on the European Commission to reach a speedy conclusion to its investigation. Italian consumers are being forced to pay fares 4 times higher than last year to fly between mainland Italy and Sardinia because the Italian authorities have systematically abused the PSO rules to protect high fare Italian airlines and block low fares and competition.

“Following the announcement that Alitalia will be allowed to fly on a PSO route between mainland Italy and Sardinia that it did not even apply for, Ryanair is asking the Commission to investigate the following further abuses of the PSO rules:

Why has Alitalia been allowed to operate on a PSO route that it never applied for?
Why did Meridiana suddenly offer Alitalia a codeshare agreement on its PSO route after “mediation” by the Italian Ministry of Transport?
Why did AirOne and Meridiana agree to take on Alitalia’s 100 Sardinian employees after the President of the Sardinian region declared that their jobs would be safe?

“Italian consumers should not be denied choice and forced to pay higher fares because of the Italian Authorities’ clumsy attempts to protect high fare Italian airlines. We are therefore calling on the Commission to take immediate action to end these abuses and allow competition and low fares on the Sardinian routes”.