An EU court has ruled against Ireland's Ryanair and said France and Sweden acted legally with measures to help airlines through coronavirus restrictions. Ryanair will appeal.

The General Court of the European Union said a Fench system to defer tax payments for airlines holding a French operating licence “does not constitute discrimination”.

 

It also okayed a loan guarantee scheme offered by Sweden to support airlines that have a Swedish operating licence, saying it is "presumed to have been adopted in the interest of the European Union”.

 

Ryanair had argued the schemes constitute unfair state aid bailouts for national carriers.

 

The airlines "see this as an opportunity, I think, to get state aid so they can go around and buy up everybody when (Covid) is all over,” Ryanair ceo Michael O’Leary said last year ahead of the original EU decision to support the French and Swedish measures.