Airport under EU investigation

THE European Commission has opened an “in-depth enquiry” into public financing at Carcassonne-Salvaza airport, which is used by Ryanair.

It wants to find out if grants made to bodies running the airport over the last decade are legal with regard to competition rules or may have overly favoured Ryanair. Similar enquiries are under way at Marseilles and La Rochelle.

The airport was central government property until 2007 when it was transferred to the regional council, and was run by the CCI (chamber of commerce) of Carcassonne until Véolia Transport took over last May.

Its infrastructure benefited from €11 million from the region, department, town and intercommunal body from 2000 – 2010. The commission says it “doubts these measures were in conformity with directives relating to state aid to the aviation sector.”

It is also looking into €8m in grants to the CCI for the running of the facility. The commission says it appears likely the money went towards “ordinary expenses” and may therefore represent “help with running costs, given in violation of rules on state aid”.

It is also looking at grants to Véolia linked to the number of Ryanair services, as well as commercial agreements made between Rynair and Véolia and reduced airport charges, which may have amounted to giving an unfair advantage to the firm.

The bodies concerned will be invited to explain their actions.

Ryanair’s Head of Communication, Steven McNamara, said the European Courts in December 2008 dismissed similar commission claims against Ryanair in relation to Charleroi airport near Brussels, and the commission did not appeal.

He added: “Ryanair’s arrangements with all EU airports comply with competition rules. This latest commission goose chase is hard to understand.”