Ryanair said today it would sue EU regulators if they blocked its hostile takeover bid for Aer Lingus, claiming it was the victim of political bias.
The European Commission has until July 4 to block or clear the deal and has pointed to "serious competition concerns" with the proposed combination of Ireland's two major airlines because it could reduce customer choice and raise fares.
But Ryanair Holdings PLC Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said he expected the EU's executive arm to refuse him permission to buy the former state-owned carrier, a "politically motivated" decision that he said aimed to please the Irish government, Aer Lingus PLC's biggest shareholder.
"This is a nakedly political decision ... It's all to do with looking after the narrow, vested interests of the Irish government," he told reporters in Brussels.
EU spokesman Jonathan Todd refused to confirm that the EU would block the deal, saying only that consumer interests were "at the foremost in the Commission mind" during its antitrust probe.
Aer Lingus Chief Executive Dermot Mannion said O'Leary was just a sore loser whose attempt to eliminate his nearest rival had failed. "He is now lashing out in a vain attempt to disguise that failure," Mannion said.
AP