Ryanair Holdings PLC (LSE:RYA), Europe's largest budget airline, achieved a significant victory in the EU General Court on Wednesday when the court annulled the European Commission's 2020 decision to approve €7 billion in French state aid for Air France.
The aid was initially granted to mitigate the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic under a €40 billion package.
Ryanair has been actively contesting multiple cases of state aid provided to various airlines across Europe, advocating for fair competition in the single market.
The airline has called out Swedish, Danish, German and Italian governments for favouring their local airlines over other EU airlines, which Ryanair believes to be a breach of EU law.
A Ryanair spokesperson pulled no punches in a public statement: “The EU Commission’s spineless approach to state aid since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis allowed member states to write open-ended cheques to their inefficient zombie flag carriers in the name of faded national prestige.
“Undistorted competition eliminates inefficiency and benefits consumers through low fares and choice. Unjustified subsidies, on the other hand, encourage ineffectiveness and will harm consumers for decades to come.”