More trouble for Ryanair in Italy. After fine received from the Antitrust due to the changes (deemed incorrect) made to the rules for transporting large hand luggage, the case of a tax evasion of more than 9 million euros broke out, contested in this case against the Irish low-cost airline by INPS and Inail. The assessment concerns employees of the Irish company but based on the Italian airports of Orio al Serio (Bergamo), Bari, Pisa, Ciampino, Malpensa and other airports where Ryanair operates. According to what was ascertained by the inspectors - it is explained in a note - the company has violated the legislation on social security and insurance matters also through an illegal use of labor employed by third-party companies. For now, the assessment only concerns 2014, but will continue for the following years as well. In particular, during 2014, according to the two social security institutions, Ryanair "used the services of around 600 employees from 6 companies, moreover registered as an air transport company without having the requisites, violating the legislation on the correct proportioning of the taxable contributions relating to the flight allowance, on the sums due and not paid to the INPS Treasury Fund, on the sums due for the additional monthly salaries".
It is not the first time that the airline led by O'Leary – become the number one in Italy for passengers transported – undergoes checks and sanctions for the treatment reserved for employees who are very often subject to Irish law (very inexpensive) even though they work permanently in other EU countries. But up to now Ryanair, faced with maxi-million-dollar investigations, has already been proved right by the courts in at least a couple of circumstances.
For example, in 2017 the company won a dispute against France, which was asked for compensation of 15 million euros: the matter concerned the staff of Marseille airport, whose contributions were paid in Dublin.
In 2016, however, the company had prevailed before the court of Bergamo, seeing the obligation to pay 9 million euros in social security contributions cancelled. The judges had considered the "relocation" of payments to Ireland to be correct. Will it be like this again this time?
