RYANAIR has lodged an official complaint with the UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT) over the recent CAA decision to allow NATS to impose further price increases to the airlines. Ryanair which, unlike the majority of British based airlines, is not an investor into NATS, says that the CAA decision is in violation with EU competition rules. Whether a foreign airline can challenge the British CAA has now been called into question. Clearly a UK operator confronting the Irish equivalent in the Dublin High Court over some technical matter would be interesting, if allowed. In another step to speed up turnarounds the Ryanair check-in at Stansted Airport will now close 40 minutes before the scheduled time of departure. Check-in at all other airports closes 30 minutes before the scheduled time of departure. A prior to Christmas plea by ABTN did suggest a system of coloured cards to try and eliminate the scrum that developed as the boarding is announced.
http://www.ryanair.com