The Walloon regional government yesterday defended the deal it struck with Ryanair at Charleroi airport a day after the airline's chief executive, Mr Michael O'Leary, said continued adverse legal rulings could see dozens of routes dropped.

The airline this week said it would suspend its Strasbourg service in four weeks after a French court ruled the route was established with the help of illegal financial aid granted by a local chamber of commerce.

Walloon economic minister Mr Serge Kubla said it was unfair to draw parallels between the Strasbourg and Charleroi agreements. The Charleroi deal is being investigated for possible breach of EU competition law by the European Commission.

Earlier this week, Ryanair admitted renewed legal action might prompt a review of its European operations. Mr O'Leary said: "If we continue to have rulings against us... pulling out would be one of the options. Charleroi is our Waterloo," he said.