The EU General Court has agreed with a challenge brought by Ryanair that pandemic-era state aid provided to airlines by the Italian government and approved by the European Commission contravened competition rules governing the internal market. The decision dates back to an October 2020 decision to the Italian government to provide €130 million ($140 million) in state aid to national airlines during the pandemic. Ryanair argues this aid contravened EU state-aid rules, with the court deciding that the European Commission had failed to provide effective reasoning setting out why the aid did not break internal market rules. "According to settled case-law, a decision not to initiate the formal investigation procedure in respect of notified aid must set out the reasons for which the Commission takes the view that it is not faced with serious difficulties in assessing the compatibility of the aid at issue with the internal market," the court said in a statement, annulling the decision, adding: "The General Court finds that that has not been done here." The ruling mirrors a decision brought earlier this month by the low-cost giant against pandemic-era funds provided to Lufthansa and SAS. Ryanair argues that governments across Europe "rushed through discriminatory subsidy schemes" for their former flag carriers that amounts to a €40 billion subsidy that has a distorting effect on Europe's air travel market. "One of the EU’s greatest achievements is the creation of a single market for air transport," says Ryanair. "The European Commission’s approval of the aid scheme limited to airlines with an operating licence issued by the Italian state went against the fundamental principles of EU law. Today's judgment confirms that the Commission must act as a guardian of the level playing field in air transport and cannot sign off discriminatory state aid under political pressure by national governments. The court's intervention is a triumph for fair competition and consumers across the EU."

Air Algerie is seeking to lease 10 aircraft in addition to the 15 new jets it plans to buy from Airbus and Boeing. The North African carrier has issued a request for proposals to dry-lease four General Electric-powered Airbus A330-200/300s, two A330-900s, two Boeing 737-800s and two 737 Max 9s. This follows an earlier RFP from the carrier to purchase 15 new aircraft. This resulted in an agreement earlier this month to acquire eight Max 9s from Boeing, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2027. Air Algerie has also signalled that it intends to buy five A330-900s and two A350-1000s from Airbus, although this agreement has yet to be signed. Fleets data shows that Air Algerie has a fleet of 51 aircraft in service and five in storage. These are primarily Boeing 737NGs and ATR turboprops. It also operates eight A330-200s.

Lufthansa Group has signed a contract for four additional Airbus A350-900s, which will be acquired from asset manager Deucalion Aviation. The widebodies will be delivered later this year, says the German airline group. Lufthansa currently operates 21 A350-900s, and in March ordered five more A350-900s and 10 A350-1000s. The group says it holds a total of 38 firm orders for the A350, making it the long-haul aircraft type's third-largest customer.