Airneth (2009) Theory of two-sided platforms gives better understanding of ‘state aid’ for regional airports, Airneth Publication Alert, August 2009


With its landmark ruling of December 17th, 2008, in a lawsuit filed by Ryanair the European Union’s Court of First Instance (CFI) unexpectedly declared the European Commission’s famous Charleroi decision of early 2004 nil and void. Though essentially based on legalistic technicalities, the verdict, in the view of the German researchers Heinemann and Knorr, has opened a rare window of opportunity for embarking on a much-needed more economic approach in the assessment of airport-related state aid cases.