Stmnt reFormalComplaint toEU
Ryanair Holdings PLC
29 November 2001
RYANAIR COMPLAINS TO EUROPEAN COMMISSION ABOUT LUFTHANSA'S 'DIRTY TRICKS'
Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline today submitted a formal complaint
to EU Competition Commissioner, Mr Mario Monti, accusing the German high fares
airline Lufthansa of engaging in 'dirty tricks' designed to prevent German
consumers and visitors availing of lower fares and a better deal for travel to
/from Germany.
Ryanair also confirmed today that it would be appealing against the decision
of the Cologne Court - in the case about which Ryanair knew absolutely nothing
- to grant an injunction to Lufthansa to prevent Ryanair using comparative
advertising in the German market.
Speaking today on submitting the formal complaint to the EU, Ryanair's Chief
Executive, Michael O'Leary said;
'It's typical of a monopoly airline like Lufthansa, who cannot match
Ryanair's fares and who don't want to offer the German consumers lower air
fares, to run into Court at the first possible opportunity. Lufthansa's
complaint is a complete and utter nonsense. Frankfurt Hahn is an IATA
designated airport in the same way as Frankfurt Main, and to suggest that
it is not is quite simply a lie. Lufthansa cannot be a member of IATA when
its suit them, and then complain to the German Court's about IATA's own
rulings when it doesn't. Multiple city airports are quite common.
Lufthansa fly to JFK and Newark in New York, despite the fact that Newark
is in a different state from New York.
'Ryanair is now offering German consumers low fare services to and from
Frankfurt to ten international destinations, thereby providing those
consumers with choice, competition and air fares that are up to 90%
cheaper than Lufthansa's rip off prices. Lufthansa want's to block
competition in Germany so it runs to the courts at the first attempt,
instead of lowering its rip off air fares. We are confident that once
these details have been explained to the German Court's, Lufthansa's
injunction will be lifted. In the meantime we will continue our
advertising, but we will be including a reference in all our ads to the
fact that Lufthansa flies from Frankfurt Main, a designated airport for
Frankfurt, whereas Ryanair flies from Frankfurt Hahn again an IATA
designated Frankfurt airport.
'We will be requesting Mr Mario Monti to intervene in this matter so that
it is left to German consumers and German visitors to determine who offers
the better value in air travel and not the German Courts or the dirty
tricks of Lufthansa'.
ENDS.
Ryanair is Europe's largest low fares airline with 63 low fare routes
across 12 countries. Ryanair has a fleet of 36 Boeing 737's, and firm
orders for up to a further 13 new 737-800's which will be delivered over
the next 2 years. Ryanair currently employs a team of 1,600 people and
will carry over 9 million scheduled passengers in the current year.
www.RYANAIR.COM was launched in January 2000 and is already Europe's
largest travel website.
For further Michael O'Leary, Ryanair, Tel. + 353-1-8121212
information
please contact: Caroline Baldwin, Ryanair, Tel. + 44 7979 593 647
Pauline McAlester, Murray Consultants, Tel. +
353-1-6633332
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