Originally Posted by
captjns
Ryanair is not unique to this, nor is the aviation industry for that matter either.
I agree. But unlike most others, Ryanair does have a remarkable 'achievement' record with its 25 minute turnarounds. They are sometimes less than 25 minutes even when the plane is pretty full. It is often exacerbated perhaps when using remote fields with highly motivated Ground Services and Dispatch operating with the efficiency of Formula One pit crews. Reminds me of the races we used to have loading the hay barn in summers long ago from a conveyor/elevator. Two guys loading bales at the bottom try to slaughter the two guys stacking at the top! Boy did we build fast stacks and we were damned fit too by the end of the summer. Taught us loads about efficient stacking methods and how to build big ones without them falling over and hurting anyone. Even devised a method of going eleven bales high on a moving trailer without ropes. We used to rib neighbouring farmers who tried to copy us and ended up in untidy heaps in the field next door .... We were the best. I'd like to think Ryanair want to be as excellent. They are certainly fast and whichever way you look at it they are the pathfinders now. But there the analogy ends ... untidy heaps in any fields are not laughing matters in aviation.
At one remote airfield I use regularly the outbound passengers are actually standing in line (not sitting) at apron level just 20 metres from the nose before the aircraft arrives. All 189 passports are already checked. They are just waiting for the door to the apron to be opened. It is then just 8 minutes from the time first inbound pax set foot on terra firma to first outbound set foot on stairs. I can almost set my watch by it, every time. Must be a hell of a pressure on the crew. I have never made eye contact with anyone in the cockpit at the remote airfield end - they are almost always head down and tasked up especially if it is the last sector of the day.