Ryanair sues Italy over reduced airport capacity

Ryanair has filed a lawsuit against Italy's aviation authority for cutting traffic at Rome's Ciampino airport, a move that the low-cost airline says is aimed at protecting national carrier Alitalia. "This is nothing more than the latest illegal attempt...

Ryanair has filed a lawsuit against Italy's aviation authority for cutting traffic at Rome's Ciampino airport, a move that the low-cost airline says is aimed at protecting national carrier Alitalia.

"This is nothing more than the latest illegal attempt by (aviation authority) ENAC and the Italian government to limit the growth of low-cost carriers to protect Alitalia," Ryanair chief executive officer Michael O'Leary told a news conference yesterday.

As well as filing the suit at the regional court of Lazio, Ryanair has also asked the European Commission to examine the move to reduce capacity at Ciampino by 30 per cent from November, Mr O'Leary said.

He has repeatedly criticised Italian state support for the loss-making Alitalia, in which the government is trying to sell its 49 per cent stake.

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