Coconuts....You
are a provocative so and so!!!
The press have tried to pin this accusation down on Ryanair several times, but lacked evidence! However, NATS, the Air Traffic Control body, did express concern a few years ago the FR pilots were demanding landing priority on a regular basis because they had insufficient "diversionary" fuel reserves.
It later transpired that the aircraft were not low on fuel at all, but one or two "stupid", inexperienced pilots were trying to bully the ATC controller in order to jump the landing queue. (I say "stupid" because crying "WOLF" too often could result in a genuine low fuel situation being denied landing priority!!!)
However, that was a couple of years ago now and the ATC men haven't shouted again since, so I guess Michael O'Leary allows them a few extra litres of Avgas now, and has told them not to browbeat ATC!
You can rest assured that no pilot, whoever they work for, would ever go to work if he/she thought they weren't going to get back home again, so they won't compromise safety! Similarly, the CAA (and the DETR) would revoke any airline's licence immediately if safety was a genuine concern!
I might not like Ryanair, and they might take a few short cuts and "bob and weave" here and there, but I can't fault their safety standards!
You might like to look at the following:
Workplace:
http://www.hsa.ie/press/press01/november/pr291101.htm
ATC problems
http://www.airliners.net/discussions...ad.main/854716
Exhausted Pilots
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/2053127.stm
From TUC Newletter
Union hours challenge to Ryanair
The pilots’ union BALPA is taking on Ryanair over conflicting advice about how many hours pilots should fly. The union has written to the chief pilot at Ryanair demanding clarification after the Irish company introduced a new 'fixed year' scheme for calculating total hours, which appears to contradict official Irish Aviation Authority guidance. Graham Fowler, deputy general secretary of BALPA said pilots faced uncertainty, 'and uncertainty does not make for a safe situation.' He added: 'We are asking the chief pilot at Ryanair to clarify the situation. There is a danger that by switching to a fixed year period pilots would be scheduled by the airline to fly more than the 900 hours a year limit. The limit is a vital element of the rules which govern pilot hours to ensure they are properly rested and fit to fly. Ryanair must do as the Irish Aviation Authority has ruled. If it does not, it stands in danger of having its licence to fly withdrawn.'