1 , that pilots are positioning themselves around Europe at the companies behest in their own time. I have not had sight of a Contract involving "floating Contractors", but, I don't believe anyone had to sign for this in preference to being allocated a Base, and, if I remember, it attracted a higher hourly payment, and a 5/5 roster (which as many have pointed out , could easily end up as 7/2 depending where you have to get to on a particular week ). So, those that signed for it have to put up with the faffing around their choice entails, fair no ?
Other Contractors seen moving themselves around Europe in their "free time" are indeed in their free time, as they are "commuting", and choose not to live at their own base. This group I am led to believe , comprised of based contractors & normal Ryanair employees are the biggest percentage by far these days.
Maybe I missed something, but did you not leave out a fairly big group -
the based contractors sent out of base? It's happening right now, every day of the week, somewhere around the network. Transporting themselves around the network, sometimes up to 3 flights, traveling for 14-15 hrs, coming in on a late wave arrival for an early wave departure as operating crew. Can't argue it's not at the behest of the company.