RYANAIR WILL APPEAL OFT "OUT OF TIME" RULING

RYANAIR WILL APPEAL OFT "OUT OF TIME" RULING TO SUPREME COURT

Ryanair, Europe's only ultra low cost airline, today (22 May) confirmed that it had instructed its lawyers to immediately file a UK Supreme Court Appeal of today's Court of Appeal rejection of Ryanair's claim that the UK OFT is "out of time" to investigate Ryanair's 6 year old 29% minority stake in Aer Lingus plc. 

Ryanair re-iterated that when the EU Commission prohibited Ryanair's takeover offer for Aer Lingus in June 2007, the Commission confirmed that Ryanair could not be forced to sell its 29% minority stake, since Ryanair did not have de facto or de jure control of Aer Lingus. Ryanair's lawyers will immediately apply to appeal today's ruling to the UK Supreme Court and will be seeking a suspension of any OFT investigation pending an outcome of this Supreme Court appeal.

For further information please contact:

Stephen McNamara Joe Carmody

Ryanair Ltd Edelman

Tel: +353-1-8121212 Tel. +353-1-6789333