Sham, you hit the nail on the head there about schemes and complaints.
The proposed assistance to United in Belfast, whatever the real sum actually was before the media played around with it, was never actually ruled upon as being forbidden. After Dublin complained about the proposal to the EU the airline simply took cold feet about the investigation, folded up their tent of their own accord and consolidated services into Dublin before the subject was even looked at. Least-wise that’s how the position was explained to me.
That’s exactly why someone complaining and bringing possible unfair tactics forward for investigation is a more relevant matter than the actual existence and nature of the subsidy.
You can pretty well get away with anything adopting a policy of seeking forgiveness rather than permission - until someone complains.