DUBLIN: Ryanair and Aer Lingus may have to pay back millions of euros in air travel taxes after the European Court of Justice ruled that they had benefited from unlawful aid from the government.
Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget airline, said that the ruling would require it to repay €12 million euros, but added that airlines would be able to take legal action to claim compensation from the government.
Airlines were required to pay the tax, which was levied at different rates for short and long-haul flights, for every passenger departing from an airport in Ireland, although transfer and transit passengers were exempted.
