Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) has received EUR4.2 million euros (USD4.8 million) refund from Italy’s competition watchdog (L'Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato - AGCM) after the country's Council of State ruled that AGCM “discriminated” against the LCC in a 2021 Covid-linked fine.

“We welcome the EUR4.2 million refund of this unlawful fine from the AGCM, which was annulled by the Council of State after it found that the Authority had discriminated against Ryanair,” the airline said in a statement.

“However, EUR440,000 [USD500,000] in interest must also be refunded, and Ryanair is requesting the AGCM to pay these outstanding amounts without further delay,” it added.

Ryanair went on to call on Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, to reform the AGCM.

The dispute stems from a 2021 fine for not reimbursing customers for flights cancelled after June 3, 2020, once travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy had ended.

The AGCM had fined Ryanair EUR4.2 million (USD5.1 million at the time), while easyJet was fined EUR2.8 million (USD3.4 million), and Volotea was fined EUR1.4 million (USD1.7 million).