Ryanair Welcomes EU Court Ruling On Irish Air Travel Tax - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Ryanair (RYA.L, RYAAY), Europe's low fares airline, welcomed the ruling of the EU General Court, which annulled the European Commission's 2012 decision ordering that Ryanair pays the Irish State €8 for every passenger who paid a 2 euro rate of the Air Travel Tax between 2009 and 2011.

The Irish Air Travel Tax between 2009 and 2011 was set at 10 euros for flights departing Irish airports and landing over 300km from Dublin Airport, and at 2 euros for flights departing Irish airports and landing less than 300km from Dublin Airport. In 2012, the European Commission decided that Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Aer Arann should pay the Irish State 8 euros in respect of each passenger who was subject to the 2 euros Air Travel Tax rate during that period.

The EU General Court today annulled the European Commission's decision in this respect and found that the Commission erred in concluding that the "advantage" enjoyed by the airlines automatically amounted in all cases to 8 euros.