Blueprint
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the
month of July
2018
RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC
(Translation
of registrant's name into English)
c/o Ryanair Ltd Corporate Head Office
Dublin
Airport
County Dublin Ireland
(Address
of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file
annual
reports
under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F..X.. Form 40-F
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information
contained
in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the
Commission
pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities
Exchange
Act of
1934.
Yes
No ..X..
If
"Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant
in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
RYANAIR WELCOMES EU APPROVAL OF ITS LAUDAMOTION
PROPOSAL
Ryanair
today (12 July) welcomed the
EU Commission's decision to approve Ryanair's proposed acquisition
of a 75% interest in Austrian airline, Laudamotion (Ryanair
currently owns 24.9%). Ryanair has entered into partnership with
Niki Lauda to offer competition, lower fares, and more choice for
consumers in Austria, Germany, and Spain, which is where the
majority of Laudamotion services currently take place.
However,
Laudamotion is currently under threat by Lufthansa who are
attempting to remove the 9 aircraft Lufthansa was obliged by the
European Commission to provide to Laudamotion in order to allow
Laudamotion to restart services.
This is
the latest in a series of efforts by Lufthansa to destabilise and
damage Laudamotion, which has seen:
- Lufthansa fail to
deliver 2 of the 11 aircraft they were required to under the EU
Competition decision concerning Lufthansa's acquisition of Air
Berlin.
- Some of the
aircraft that Lufthansa had committed to deliver being delayed
until after the summer 2018 season, further reducing Laudamotion's
ability to take up slots and offer S2018 flights and
services.
- Laudamotion only
able to operate a 19 aircraft fleet in summer 2018 by wet leasing
10 B737 aircraft from Ryanair.
- Lufthansa Group
delay payment of over €1.5m of wet lease payments properly
due to Laudamotion, for flights which Laudamotion operated for
Lufthansa in March, April and May.
Ryanair
remains committed to bringing competition and choice to Austrian,
German and Spanish markets through this investment in Laudamotion
and called on the competition authorities to halt Lufthansa's
repeated abuses of its dominant position, which are designed to
harm competition and consumers.
Ryanair's
Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer, Juliusz Komorek
said:
"We welcome the EU Commission's decision to approve Ryanair's
proposed acquisition of a 75% interest in Laudamotion. Ryanair
remains committed to bringing competition, choice and low fares to
the Austrian, German and Spanish markets through our investment in
Laudamotion. We urge the EU competition authorities to take action
and prevent any further attempts by Lufthansa to damage competition
through its anti-consumer behaviour."
ENDS
For further information
please
contact:
Robin Kiely
Piaras Kelly
Ryanair
DAC
Edelman Ireland
Tel: +353-1-9451949
Tel: +353-1-6789333
press@ryanair.com
ryanair@edelman.com
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
Date: 13,
July, 2018
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By:___/s/
Juliusz Komorek____
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Juliusz
Komorek
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Company
Secretary
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