Ryanair has condemned the failure of the regional court (TAR) in Rome to grant an injunction to stop the Italian Government from unlawfully restricting the availability of low fares in the Rome market, a move that provides further illegal protection of Alitalia and restricts consumer choice. Ryanair will immediately appeal the court’s decision. Since at least 2005, the Italian Government has been trying to reduce the availability of low fares at Rome Ciampino.

False claims were made by ENAC, the Italian Aviation Authority about a night time noise issue at the airport despite the fact that Ryanair operates the youngest and quietest aircraft at the airport and does not operate any night time flights.

When it became clear that this bogus excuse for restricting growth at Ciampino would not stand up, the Italian Government fabricated a different claim, ordering that the airport would have to be closed for at least 5 months for essential runway works’, that capacity would be reduced by 30% in the interim and that upon completion the airport would be closed to commercial traffic!

These claims are utter fabrication and Ryanair calls on the European Commission to accelerate its investigation into this blatantly unlawful action by the Italian Government.

Speaking today, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said;

“The TAR’s failure to protect Italian consumers from this abuse of European and Italian law is very disappointing. The imposition of these bogus restrictions by the Italian Government will force Roman consumers to pay the higher fares charged by Alitalia, while causing significant damage to tourism in Rome. Ryanair will appeal this decision of the TAR Lazio but is calling on the European Commission to immediately put an end to the Italian Government’s incessant protection of Alitalia.”.
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