16th Dec 2008 07:00
For immediate Release
Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into or from Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa or the United States of America or any other jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so
Aer Lingus Group plc
ISE: EIL1 LSE: AERL
15 December 2008
Ryanair offer document contains nothing new
The Board of Aer Lingus has already unanimously rejected Ryanair's Offer, which significantly undervalues Aer Lingus and would see Ryanair build a monopoly of air transportation to and from Ireland. There is nothing new in today's document. Colm Barrington, Chairman of Aer Lingus, said: "This document contains nothing new. It is the usual stream of invective, spin and misrepresentation that we expect from the people at Ryanair. It also fails to address the recent EU prohibition decision which found emphatically that Ryanair wants to destroy consumer choice. It is a desperate last effort to create an airline monopoly in Ireland, and is clearly not in the interests of Aer Lingus shareholders and the travelling public. Aer Lingus is and will continue to be a strong independent airline. Ryanair clearly needs Aer Lingus but we do not need Ryanair."
-ends-
Enquiries:
Aer Lingus Group plc Tel: + 353 1 886 2000
Enda Corneille
Drury Communications Tel: +353 1 260 5000
Billy Murphy
Orla Benson
Powerscourt Tel: + 44 207 324 0493
Rory Godson
Victoria Palmer-Moore
The directors of Aer Lingus Group plc accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of Aer Lingus Group plc (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in this announcement is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.
Goldman Sachs International, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for Aer Lingus Group plc and no one else in connection with the offer by Coinside Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ryanair Holdings plc (the "Offer") and will not be responsible to anyone other than Aer Lingus Group plc for providing the protections afforded to customers of Goldman Sachs International or for providing advice in relation to the Offer or the contents of this announcement.
Goodbody Corporate Finance, which is regulated in Ireland by the Financial Regulator, is acting exclusively for Aer Lingus Group plc and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Aer Lingus Group plc for providing the protections afforded to customers of Goodbody Corporate Finance or for providing advice in relation to the Offer or the contents of this announcement.
Any person who is a holder of one per cent. or more of any class of shares in Aer Lingus Group plc or Ryanair Holdings plc may be required to make disclosures pursuant to Rule 8.3 of the Irish Takeover Panel Act, 1997, Takeover Rules 2007 and 2008, as applied with amendments by the European Communities (Takeover Bids (Directive 2004/25/EC)) Regulations 2006.
Related Shares:
RYA.L