5th Oct 2006 12:26
Aer Lingus Group PLC05 October 2006 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 or any other jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Statement re Intention to make an Offer by Ryanair Holdings plc ("Ryanair Holdings") The Board of Aer Lingus Group plc ("Aer Lingus Group") and their financialadvisers, Goldman Sachs International and Merrion Stockbrokers Limited, note theintention to make an offer announced this morning by Ryanair Holdings for theissued share capital of Aer Lingus Group not already owned by Ryanair Holdings.The Board is considering this announcement and will make a statement in duecourse. In the meantime, Aer Lingus Group shareholders are strongly urged totake no action. Date: 5 October 2006 PRESS ENQUIRIES Aer Lingus Group plc +353 1 886 2000Greg O'Sullivan Goldman Sachs International +44 207 774 1000Basil GeogheganPhil RaperNicholas van den Arend Merrion Stockbrokers Limited +353 1 240 4100John ConroyDan Ennis K Capital Source +353 1 631 5500Mark KennyJonathan Neilan Drury Communications +353 1 260 5000Billy MurphyOrla Benson Powerscourt +44 20 7236 5615Rory Godson +44 7909 926 020Victoria Palmer-Moore +44 7725 565 545 The directors of Aer Lingus Group accept responsibility for the informationcontained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of thedirectors of Aer Lingus Group (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure thatsuch is the case), the information contained in this announcement is inaccordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the importof such information. Goldman Sachs International, which is authorised and regulated in the UnitedKingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for AerLingus Group plc and no one else in connection with the offer by RyanairHoldings plc and will not be responsible to anyone other than Aer Lingus Groupplc for providing the protections afforded to customers of Goldman SachsInternational or for providing advice in relation to the offer by RyanairHoldings plc or the contents of this announcement. Merrion Stockbrokers Limited, which is regulated in Ireland by the FinancialRegulator, is acting exclusively for Aer Lingus Group plc and no one else inconnection with the offer by Ryanair Holdings plc and will not be responsible toanyone other than Aer Lingus Group plc for providing the protections afforded tocustomers of Merrion Stockbrokers Limited or for providing advice in relation tothe offer by Ryanair Holdings plc or the contents of this announcement. Any person who is the holder of 1 per cent. or more of any class of shares inAer Lingus Group plc or Ryanair Holdings plc may be required to make disclosurespursuant to Rule 8.3 of the Irish Takeover Panel Act, 1997, Takeover Rules 2001to 2005, as applied, with amendments by the European Communities (Takeover Bids(Directive 2004/25/EC)) Regulations 2006. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
RYA.L