Germany’s government must recover public funds from Frankfurt Hahn airport, as well as budget carrier Ryanair, after the European Commission concluded that they received support contrary to state-aid rules.
The Commission opened an in-depth investigation into the funding – two measures for the airport and four for Ryanair – in October 2018.
It has determined that a plot of land, previously acquired by the Rhineland-Palatinate state, was returned to the airport without the airport operator’s paying any compensation.
The Commission also found that two marketing agreements between the state and Ryanair, as well as training support, were incompatible with European Union state-aid regulations.
It has ordered the German government to recover €13-14 million ($14-15 million), plus interest, from Ryanair and around €1.25 million from Hahn airport.
Hahn airport filed for insolvency in 2021 but was eventually acquired by a German investor, Triwo, in 2023.
Other measures investigated were found not to have breached regulations, including three airport services agreements between Ryanair and Hahn airport, the lease of a pilot school and maintenance hall, and a guarantee to the airport with respect to a land sale.
After a preliminary examination, the Commission adds, another set of four support measures to Hahn, Ryanair and Haitec – a maintenance firm operating at Hahn – did not amount to state aid.
Ryanair says it welcomes the parts of the Commission’s findings which were in the carrier’s favour, including contracts with Hahn airport concluded between 2013-16, and says it will appeal the claim that certain legacy contracts for marketing services constituted state aid.
It has also taken a swipe at the Commission’s decision to probe alleged state aid at a “small regional airport” given that a government support package awarded to Lufthansa Group during the pandemic after initial approval was annulled last year, after Ryanair lodged a legal complaint. The Commission stated this year that, as a result of the judgement, it would conduct a deeper examination of the award.
