Ryanair offers Flybe €100m to operate Aer Lingus routes Ryanair has offered regional airline Flybe Group €100m to operate some Aer Lingus routes out of Ireland, in a renewed attempt to convince the European Commission not to block its takeover bid for the Irish flag carrier. Flybe on Tuesday confirmed that Ryanair, Europe's largest budget carrier by revenues, had agreed in principle to contribute €100m and as many as 10 aircraft to a new Flybe subsidiary, should the takeover of Aer Lingus gain regulatory approval. The subsidiary would then operate about 40 per cent of Aer Lingus's short-haul routes, in an effort to circumnavigate concerns over a perceived lack of competition on routes to and from Ireland, should Ryanair gain control of the Irish national carrier. The deal would provide a substantial boost for Flybe, the lossmaking regional carrier that operates about 180 routes from 65 European airports. Flybe shares rose 5 per cent to 48p in early trading, while Ryanair was unchanged at €5.62. "The implementation of any agreement would be dependent on the status of Ryanair's offer for Aer Lingus; the outcome of the commission's deliberations on the competition aspects of Ryanair's bid; and the agreement of a timetable for the implementation of the proposed remedies," said Flybe. The deal is far from certain, however, given Ryanair's previous failure to secure European regulatory approval for its previous two bids for Aer Lingus. The European Commission has objected to Ryanair's most recent bid on competition grounds, arguing that it creates a monopoly on about 46 routes, and antitrust problems on a further 20. It prohibited Ryanair's first bid for Aer Lingus in 2006 - and Brussels regulators have never cleared a merger that they have previously rejected. Last month, Ryanair unveiled a package of concessions intended to address competition concerns, including Flybe acquiring Aer Lingus operations on 23 routes where the merger would create a monopoly. Ryanair owns roughly 30 per cent of Aer Lingus and in June renewed attempts to gain full control. The European Commission is expected to rule on Ryanair's €694m offer by March 6. Aer Lingus is due to release its 2012 results on Wednesday.