Court upholds Ryanair’s multi-million pound bill
Ryanair has lost its appeal against having to pay €8.3 million for breaching employment laws in France.
The low-cost airline appealed against an earlier ruling that it breached French regulations when hiring local staff from Marseille on Irish contracts between 2007 and 2010.
It meant Ryanair paid 10.7% in Irish charges, rather than the 45% figure in France.
The court judgement ruled Ryanair’s act was one of ‘unfair competition against other airlines’.
Ryanair appealed the judgement, but the original decision of the court was upheld yesterday.
Ryanair must now pay €8.3 million – made up of a fine of €200,000, plus €8.1 million in interest to unpaid social security agencies and damages.
Jean-Victor Borel, lawyer for France’s Ursaff social security collecting agency, said: "European law is not an instrument designed to defraud the social security."
Meanwhile, Ryanair has announced it will open a new base in Copenhagen and will launch twice-daily flights from Luton to the city in March.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt