I recognise all the above however the first several pages would be irrelevant if you are on permanent contract because if they send you out of base they pay for, wait for it - everything.
14 years in Ryanair and days out of base I could count on two hands!
In recent years they have only asked me once to go out of base for a week. I responded ok but first;
1) which flights have you organised for me to get to this base
2) have you organised my taxi
3) have you booked and paid for my hotel
4) oh remind me again how much is a european per diem per night?
Their response - "we will call you back"
5 minutes later - "we have found someone else" ie a contractor
This Captain (ie me) flew his 5 days from his own base had a full 4 days off at home and all in my own bed. Lovely.
However what the contractors dont tell you is that for the inconvenience as per the tale on the thread he is probably on paying 20% tax through his 'company' unlike my 40% and because they are paid in Euro and the exchange rate has been quite tasty over the last 5 years they have been coining it in.
And when asked if they would like to be permanent most say no. Which means 2 days travelling on your days off and constantly out of base.
I am not saying the Captain in question would turn down the opportunity of being permanent but most do because its just too much money they are throwing away by going permanent.
Like everything theres two sides to every story. Most involving money........