Ryanair Management posted this statement on the pilot notice boards today;
Ryanair said today (22nd August 2002) that the headline in this mornings London Times newspaper which claims that "Ryanair demands pilots work past limit" is incorrect and factually untrue.
Ryanair operates to an approved flight time limitation system, whereby no Ryanair pilot can fly more than 900 hours in any year. Any Ryanair pilot who reaches 900 hours is not allowed to fly until the commencement of the following year. The year runs from 01 April to 31 March inclusive, to co-incide with Ryanair's holiday year. Additionally Ryanair's pilots are also subject to individual monthly limits of 100 flight hours.
This sysytem is further enhanced by Ryanair's stable rosters, all of which are issued 28 days in advance, with a gauranteed minimum of 5 days off in every 14 day period, with pilots operating from their home bases and no night-time flying.
By comparison, the flight limitation system in Germany permits pilots to fly up to 1000 hours in the period of the calendar year.
Over ther lasty year to the 31 March 2002, no Ryanair pilot either reached or exceeded this 900 hour limit, and the average flight hours for each Ryanair pilot was 809 hours.
22nd August 2002