05/02/2008

Ryanair Ordered To Pay Damages To French President

A French court has today ordered Ryanair to pay damages to the French President and his wife.

The low-cost airline was ordered to pay damages of €60,001 to President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife, Carla Bruni, after using a photo of the couple in an advertisement.

Mr Sarkozy and Ms Bruni had filed separate lawsuits against the airline for unauthorised commercial use of their image.

The cases were however heard in a joint court session in Paris in which the French President was awarded €1 while his model wife was granted damages of €60,000.

Mr Sarkozy had asked the court for the symbolic amount he received but his wife had sought damages of €500,000.

Mr Sarkozy and Ms Bruni, a model, were married on Saturday.

(VB)




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