Fun fact: Ryanair exists because of EU free trade law. It's an Irish company, and the Irish government wanted to continue to protect it's state owned airline (A

Fun fact: Ryanair exists because of EU free trade law. It's an Irish company, and the Irish government wanted to continue to protect it's state owned airline (Aer Lingus) on the lucrative Ireland/UK route, so tried to ban Ryanair from operating it. But EU law required that both countries had to veto the airline or route, and the UK (under Thatcher) were pro-free trade, so allowed it. Hence Ryanair was able to grow.