{"id":187079,"date":"2026-04-23T16:00:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/?p=187079"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:25:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T11:25:55","slug":"final-blow-for-lufthansa-eu-court-of-justice-upholds-illegality-of-e6-billion-state-aid-package","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/2026\/04\/final-blow-for-lufthansa-eu-court-of-justice-upholds-illegality-of-e6-billion-state-aid-package.html","title":{"rendered":"Final Blow for Lufthansa: EU Court of Justice Upholds Illegality of \u20ac6 Billion State Aid Package"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has formally dismissed Lufthansa’s<\/strong> appeal, confirming the annulment of the approval for state aid received during the COVID-19 pandemic. This ruling represents a definitive victory for Ryanair, which spearheaded the legal challenge against the German carrier’s recapitalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judicial Ruling and Annulment of the Recapitalization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Europe’s highest court has upheld the previous ruling by the General Court, which had voided the European Commission’s decision to authorize the airline’s financial bailout. According to the court’s statement, the appeal filed by Lufthansa was rejected in its entirety, validating the stance that the recapitalization process failed to comply with existing competition regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This legal conflict dates back to 2023, when a challenge presented by Ryanair led the court to declare the \u20ac6 billion aid package granted by the German state illegal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reactions from the Involved Airlines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lufthansa’s Position<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The German flag carrier stated that it has taken note of the ruling. However, the airline highlighted an ongoing investigation by the European Commission, initiated in 2024, which aims to issue a new decision on the case. The airline stated the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n