In my years based in Girona I have (at times) seen KLM /Air France /Iberia etc etc diverting in due lack of holding fuel (usually due CB activity @ BCN) did it make the press in Spain ? nope, of course not.
Nobody felt able to post the recent FR memo Re extra fuel, but it does seem that Ryanair reacted in its usual psycopathic -child fashion to the recent hubris over the MAD diversions by . . . . . what else but issuing another "friendly reminder" emphasising when & when not they would "like"
extra fuel to be carried. Of course they also emphasised it is the Commanders final decision. . . but, how many time do you want to waste your free time enjoying tea & biscuits with the Base Capt (particularly as you have to bring your own biscuits. . . and tea bag I would imagine)
Sounds like they are already reaping the rewards of their "friendly advice" & well done the Crews for handing the evidence to them on a plate
Company policy has always been "min fuel & if it results in a few diversions ? so be it" . . . all part of the far reaching "customer care" they offer
Sure it puts extra pressure (particularly time pressure) on their Commanders, but at the end of the day you have two choices, take what they want & be prepared to divert at the 1st hint of trouble, or take what you want & grow a pair to defend your Command authority. Neither ideal, unsafe ? well not per se, but when you insist on operating with minimum margins as a matter of course it is difficult to argue it any other way in the longer term. Of course operating to limits, whether they be in terms of social contributions/crew experience/ staffing levels etc has been & will always be modus operandi there.
As long as they cost half what Vueling cost to fly BCN-AGP, & I can still recognise a few seasoned & sensible faces amongst the crew , I will continue to use them. From what ex colleagues told me about some of Vuelings operating practices I would imagine FR are the much safer option (at least they are not afraid to declare an emergency when legally mandated, I suspect the Yellow/Grey mob just continue to an "uneventful landing" or slip a quick request to ATC. . . in Spanish sure. .to jump the Q. )
Any airline operating in Europe will have fuel related diversions, that is the inevitable consequence of all companies . . including legacy carriers. . . fuel policies.
This current Spanish focus on Ryanairs share is just political scaremongering by a morally & financially bankrupt regime that in the past was so happy to dole out public money to them. . . . . spurned lovers tend to be the most spiteful
