Ryanair Loses Another Bid to Block Condor's EU Bailout: EU Court Rejects Complaint
European Court Rejects Ryanair's Challenge to Financial Aid Provided to Condor During the Coronavirus Pandemic - EU Court Dismisses Ryanair's Objection to Coronavirus Aid for Condor
Well, here's another round in the never-ending saga of Ryanair vs. Condor. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has rejected yet another complaint from the budget airline, this time regarding the EU Commission's decision to approve a second bailout for Condor Flugdienst.
This was the second time the court made its mind up on this. Initially, in June 2021, the court overturned the Commission's initial approval of the €550 million loan, following a lawsuit from none other than Ryanair. However, the court delayed the effects of its ruling until the Commission made a fresh decision.
Ryanair went ahead with another challenge, but it went straight to the chapel, so to speak. The airline contended that the Commission should have initiated a formal review process instead of making a decision based on a preliminary examination. Sadly for Ryanair, the court wasn't feeling too merciful this time. They couldn't find any credible doubts suggesting that the aid was non-compatible with the internal market.
Moreover, Ryanair couldn't provide any hard evidence that the aid was discriminating against other airlines or violating the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services. However, they still have a potential savior - they can still appeal to the ECJ, the higher court.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time courts in Luxembourg have dealt with German aid for Condor. Back in May 2022, a lawsuit against a loan of €380 million was dismissed. More recently, in May 2024, the court invalidated the approval of a restructuring aid of €321 million. Condor has already appealed to the ECJ, waiting for their judgement.
- Ryanair
- Condor Flugdienst
- Court of Justice of the European Union
- EU
- EU Commission
- Luxembourg
- KfW Bankengruppe
According to our digging, Ryanair has made it no secret that they have issues with EU Commission decisions approving state aid to Condor, arguing they distort competition. These appeals often land before the EU General Court in Luxembourg, where past decisions have varied depending on the circumstances and compliance with EU state aid rules.
However, as of mid-2025, there's no clear update on the status or outcomes of Ryanair's latest appeal or prior decisions on German aid to Condor. For the latest and most detailed information, it's best to consult official EU judiciary case databases, press releases from Ryanair, the EU Commission, or the General Court.
- Ryanair continues to challenge EU Commission decisions approving state aid to Condor Flugdienst, arguing that such decisions distort competition, with many of these appeals being heard at the EU General Court in Luxembourg.
- The most recent challenge by Ryanair, concerning the EU Commission's decision to approve a second bailout for Condor, was rejected by the Court of Justice of the European Union, as Ryanair failed to provide credible doubts suggesting that the aid was incompatible with the internal market.
- The European Commission's decisions on German aid to Condor have been a recurring issue, with previous rulings for similar loans having varied depending on circumstances and compliance with EU state aid rules.
