Bonn, 10 November 2026. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has overturned a judgment of the General Court of the European Union (GCEU) and dismissed Ryanair’s action challenge to € 321 million in state restructuring aid for Condor. Redeker Sellner Dahs served as counsel for the airline in the dispute, which dates back to 2022.
In its judgment handed down on 5 November 2026 (Case C‑505/24 P), the Court of Justice upheld the European Commission’s approval of the restructuring aid. The funding was intended to enable Condor to restructure and continue operating following the insolvency of its former parent company, Thomas Cook, and the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Ryanair had challenged the Commission's decision and initially succeeded before the General Court. In its judgment of 8 May 2024 (Case T‑28/22), the General Court ruled that the Commission should have opened a formal investigation before approving the aid and annulled its decision.
The European Court of Justice has now overturned that judgment, upholding Condor’s appeal and dismissing Ryanair’s action in its entirety. The Commission's approval of the restructuring aid therefore stands, bringing the dispute to a definitive close.
In a separate case, Ryanair also unsuccessfully challenged the Commission’s approval of aid granted to Condor in connection with the COVID‑19 pandemic. The General Court dismissed that action in a final judgment on 25 June 2025 (Case T‑366/22).
Redeker Sellner Dahs acted as counsel for Condor in the legal proceedings before the EU courts and also advised the airline during the European Commission’s state aid review procedures. The team comprised partners Dr Andreas Rosenfeld (Bonn/Brussels), who led the proceedings, and Dr Korbinian Reiter, LL.M. (Paris 1 Panthéon‑Sorbonne) (Berlin), together with associate partner Dr Simone Lünenbürger (Brussels).
Commenting on the judgment, Dr. Andreas Rosenfeld said: “This has been a long journey, with a number of legal twists and turns along the way. We have always maintained that the state aid was lawful and have stood firmly by Condor throughout the proceedings. The fact that the Court of Justice has not only overturned the General Court’s judgment, but also dismissed Ryanair’s action once and for all is an outstanding success for our client – and, of course, a particularly gratifying moment for our team.”
