Ryanair has lodged its formal appeal against the decision by the European Commission to block the low cost airline's proposed acquisition of Aer Lingus.
Ryanair offered to buy Aer Lingus at €2.80 per share just eight days after it was floated last October.
However, the transaction was blocked by the European Commission on competition grounds.
Announcing the appeal to the European Court of First Instance, Ryanair described the commission's decision as unlawful and politically motivated.
It claims what it calls the merger between the two airlines would have slashed fares and fuel surcharges, saving consumers over €100m a year.
Ryanair claimed Aer Lingus would have continued as a separate brand, giving consumers a choice of services and retaining all profitable Aer Lingus routes including Shannon-Heathrow.
Ryanair is confident the Court of First Instance will overturn the decision because even combined the two airlines represent less than 5% of the EU market.
It also says this is the first airline merger actively opposed by a national Government, which admitted it had retained a strategic shareholding in Aer Lingus to block a hostile takeover 'like the Ryanair bid'.
Aer Lingus says the appeal will fail in Europe. The airline says the takeover would damage competition and it will assist the EC in upholding the decision.
