Ryanair operations at French regional airports threatened by Air France legal offensive

The perennial issue of protectionism v. liberalism in air transport has again come under the spotlight in recent months. This month (Mar-2010) the Canadian government is locked in battle with Emirates and Etihad over market access, which the government believes would hinder Air Canada’s direct long haul services. Previously there have been similar disputes in Germany, where, last November, the government bluntly told Emirates to raise its fares in the market or face being fined. Now, in a different but equally important scenario, Air France has launched what is, to date, the biggest legal challenge to discounts on airport charges and assistance with marketing costs that Ryanair has encountered. [2912 words]

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This report contains the following subheadings:

• French aid to Ryanair ‘close to EUR150 million’
• Irishmen in Tights
• Rabies eradicated in France
• Notoriously complex
• Granada authorities decline to pay up
• Boot on the other foot
• Demanding money with menaces
• Emphatic presence of British based LCCs at French airports
• Instances of airport privatisation increasing

This report contains the following charts and tables:

• Table 1: Selection of regional and Paris airports, 2008-09 passenger traffic figures
• Table 2: Representation of Air France mainline airline and its subsidiaries at the same airports
• Table 3: French secondary and tertiary level airports and their private sector operators