newstodate.aero
Feb 23, 2012 (newstodate): Latvia's Competition Council has ruled that Riga Airport has unjustly favored Ryanair in applying substantially lower rates for airport services than charged on airBaltic.
The airport has thus been penalized 50,000 USD, as well as legal responsibilities for their services to apply reasonable and non-discriminatory charges to airlines by providing clear information on costs for each airport service.
Compared to charges on Ryanair, airBaltic has paid about 82 percent more for equivalent services, and the carrier has also paid for additional administrative costs that Ryanair did not pay, further increasing the gap in the airport's treatment of its two airline customers.
In July 2010, airBaltic filed a lawsuit against Riga Airport claiming that the airport was applying unequal charges to airlines operating at the airport, favoring Ryanair through lower charges while raising charges for airBaltic.
-We have had numerous discussions about this discriminatory situation with both the Minister of Transport, as well as the airport management. However, we have not been able to arrive at any solution. airBaltic has therefore lodged a claim with the Competition Council in this respect and has submitted an application to the court with the actual amount of losses of 7 million LVL, Bertolt Flick, then airBaltic CEO and President, told newstodate on August 16, 2010.
While Mr Flick has since been forced from this position by Latvia's political strongmen, the Latvian Competition Council has now proved him - and airBaltic - winner of the lawsuit.
The airport has thus been penalized 50,000 USD, as well as legal responsibilities for their services to apply reasonable and non-discriminatory charges to airlines by providing clear information on costs for each airport service.
Compared to charges on Ryanair, airBaltic has paid about 82 percent more for equivalent services, and the carrier has also paid for additional administrative costs that Ryanair did not pay, further increasing the gap in the airport's treatment of its two airline customers.
In July 2010, airBaltic filed a lawsuit against Riga Airport claiming that the airport was applying unequal charges to airlines operating at the airport, favoring Ryanair through lower charges while raising charges for airBaltic.
-We have had numerous discussions about this discriminatory situation with both the Minister of Transport, as well as the airport management. However, we have not been able to arrive at any solution. airBaltic has therefore lodged a claim with the Competition Council in this respect and has submitted an application to the court with the actual amount of losses of 7 million LVL, Bertolt Flick, then airBaltic CEO and President, told newstodate on August 16, 2010.
While Mr Flick has since been forced from this position by Latvia's political strongmen, the Latvian Competition Council has now proved him - and airBaltic - winner of the lawsuit.