Brussels, 27/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission decided on Wednesday 27 January to close the formal investigation procedure into the agreement between Bratislava Airport in Slovakia and Ryanair after concluding that the airport operator acted as a market economy investor and therefore no advantage has been granted to Ryanair.
On 5 December 2005, the operator of Bratislava Airport concluded an agreement with Ryanair to run until 2016. Following an in-depth assessment, the Commission has determined that the agreement can be justified by a cost-benefit analysis. This cost-benefit analysis provided an assessment of the conditions - in particular the coverage of the costs by the aviation revenue attributable to the agreement - at Bratislava Airport and allows the conclusion to be drawn that, in similar circumstances, a private investor operating under normal market conditions would have entered into the same or similar commercial arrangement as the airport operator. In addition, the diversification of airlines operating from the airport - and thus the risk reduction - as well as better allocation of resources and a reduction of overcapacities contributed positively to the operational and financial situation of Bratislava Airport and increased its market value for its shareholders. The Commission concluded, therefore, that at the time when the Ryanair agreement was signed, “it was rational to consider that it would make the management of the airport more profitable”. (O.L./transl.rt)