EU top court restores approval of Dutch aid to Air France-KLM’s KLM
The EU’s top court overturned a 2024 judgment and restored approval of Dutch pandemic support for KLM. The case returns to the General Court to consider Ryanair’s remaining arguments; the group and its airline subsidiaries repaid all pandemic support with interest by 2023.
1. Court restores aid approval
The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on November 5, 2026, in Air France-KLM’s favor, overturning the General Court’s February 7, 2024, judgment that annulled the European Commission’s July 2020 decision approving Dutch pandemic support for KLM. The case returns to the General Court to examine Ryanair’s remaining arguments, and all pandemic support received by the group and its airline subsidiaries had been repaid with interest by 2023.
