Hi °C | Lo °C 
Budget airline Ryanair has mounted a fresh bid to seize control of its rival Aer Lingus by tabling an offer valuing the company at 694 million euros (£559.6 million).
Ryanair, which owns a 29.8% stake in its rival, aims to boost the Aer Lingus' passenger numbers by 4.5 million to 14 million over the next five years by forming "one strong Irish airline" to compete with major European players.
A previous takeover attempt in 2006 was rejected by regulators but Ryanair said consolidation and the economic downturn had since left Aer Lingus "exposed as a small and uncompetitive airline".
