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France temporarily confiscated a low cost Ryanair plane at Bordeaux airport. The Irish airline was to be forced to repay public funds, announced Friday the authority of civil aviation.
According to the authorities, the airline, which holds 75% stake in Laudamotion in Austria, paid about half a million euros Friday afternoon. The plane was again released. From Ryanair, there was initially no confirmation.
The 149-pbadenger plane was en route to London Thursday night when it was secured. According to the information, the pbadengers were able to travel to London by another flight with a delay of five hours the same evening.
Reimbursement of state aid
The context of the incident is a decision of the European Commission in 2014. The airline was then called upon to repay state aid. The airline Ryanair had been granted to the local airport of Angouleme in 2008 and the conditions of 2009 that distorted the competition, it was then.
"The Commission considered that this aid constituted pure operating aid granted without pursuing an objective of common interest," the competition watchdog said at the time.
Confiscation as "last resort"
It was unfortunate that the state resorted to this measure as a "last resort", according to the aviation authority about the seizure. According to the airport, the 149 pbadengers were already on board the Ryanair plane and eventually had to leave it.
According to the French news agency AFP, it would be a Boeing 737. According to the latter, the last payment request was sent to Ryanair in May – according to the French authorities, the company does not agree Did not answer. Finally, an application for seizure was filed in court.
(APA / dpa)
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