Aer Lingus response to judgement by UK Competition Appeal Tribunal

Dublin & London, 28 July 2011: Aer Lingus Group plc (“Aer Lingus”) welcomes today’s announcement by the Competition Appeal Tribunal in the UK that the Office of Fair Trading (“OFT”) is “in time” to investigate Ryanair’s minority shareholding in Aer Lingus under the UK’s merger control legislation. 

Aer Lingus’ CEO, Christoph Mueller, said: “It is now clear that the OFT has the jurisdiction to investigate the anti-competitive effects of Ryanair’s minority shareholding in Aer Lingus and we call on the OFT to recommence its investigation as soon as possible. The European Commission blocked the Ryanair takeover of Aer Lingus more than four years ago, therefore it is incomprehensible that they have been allowed to remain on our share register. Ryanair’s shareholding is contrary to the interests of consumers and the majority of our shareholders and must now be addressed once and for all”.