Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has told shareholders the airline is looking at its legal options after Aer Lingus refused a second request for a meeting of shareholders to discuss the withdrawal of the Shannon-Heathrow route.
Aer Lingus has claimed Ryanair, which has a 29.4% stake, is trying to 'interfere with and frustrate' its commercial performance. At Ryanair's AGM this morning, Mr O'Leary accused Aer Lingus directors of breaching their statutory obligations towards their largest shareholder.
'We're amazed that the board of directors of Aer Lingus would be in breach of Irish company law but we will have to decide ourselves whether we take this further, and I think it's a 50-50 call', Mr O'Leary said.
'We may not take it any further, or we may well decide to hold the EGM ourselves, a decision we'll take in the next week or two', he added.
He also told shareholders Ryanair planned further expansion of services from Shannon, and was in talks with Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport about whether a viable route could be launched.
Mr O'Leary also said Ryanair was in discussions with five countries - former Soviet republics or North African states outside Morocco - about new routes.
Mr O'Leary also told shareholders Ryanair was leaving its profit outlook for the current financial year unchanged, with profit growth of 10% and winter yields, or average fares, falling by 5% to 10%.
Ryanair has also confirmed that it has filed judicial review proceedings this week challenging An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission for the second terminal at Dublin airport.
