SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of November 2007
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office
Dublin Airport
County Dublin Ireland
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F..X.. Form 40-F.....
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No ..X..
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
RYANAIR SUES EUROPEAN COMMISSION
FOR ITS FAILURE TO INVESTIGATE ILLEGAL STATE AID
TO OLYMPIC AIRLINES
Ryanair, Europe's favourite low fares airline, today (Thursday, 22nd November
2007) lodged a case in the European Court of First Instance against the European
Commission's failure to act on Ryanair's complaint about a further approximately
EUR500 million worth of illegal State aid to Olympic Airlines, granted through
bogus "arbitration" proceedings involving certain "services" allegedly provided
by Olympic to the Greek Government. The Greek Government was found guilty of
providing hundreds of millions to Olympic to bail it out in the past and this is
the latest attempt to prop up this failed national carrier. Ryanair has called
on the Commission to investigate this obvious abuse of EU competition rules
already in 2006, but the Commission has so far failed to do so.
Announcing the launch of these proceedings Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, said:
"This is just another example of the Commission's twin track approach
to State aid in the air transport sector. On one hand they continue to
waste time and taxpayers money investigating baseless complaints against
standard free market deals at regional and secondary airports, for example
Tampere and Alghero. These complaints were filed by inefficient high fare
flag carrier airlines operating at expensive hub airports, who would never
fly to smaller airports and are simply trying to prevent competition and
consumer choice.
"On the other hand, the Commission repeatedly ignores blatant State
aid to Air France, Lufthansa, Olympic, Alitalia and others. The Greek
Government's most recent tranche of State aid to Olympic involves
approximately EUR500 million, mostly for "unpaid services" allegedly
provided by Olympic to the Government. However, the Commission has refused
to do anything about this since 2006, which left us with no alternative but
to challenge the Commission's inaction in the European courts.
"It appears that the Commission applies two approaches to enforcing
the State aid rules: one of ignoring or signing off on continuing unlawful
State aid for the inefficient high fare flag carrier airlines, and the
other of pursuing baseless complaints by flag carriers against low fares
airlines operating out of regional and secondary airports. This twin track
approach must end and we are therefore calling on the Commission to start
promoting competition, end unlawful State aid, and stop protecting flag
carrier airlines".
Ends. Thursday, 22nd November 2007
For reference: Peter Sherrard - Ryanair Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants
Tel: +353-1-8121228 Tel: +353-1-4980300
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
Date: 22 November, 2007
By:___/s/ James Callaghan____
James Callaghan
Company Secretary & Finance Director