''Ryanair caught napping'' C4 TV 13 FEB 9pm

[Dash-7 lover]

Hey - keep seeing adverts for this Dispatches programme next week on Channel 4 - adverts are pretty close to the mark!! Cabin crew saying 'welcome aboard your Ryanair flight - please keep the noise down as my colleague is asleep, also you may find life jackets under your seat but we haven't had time to check' etc etc- look like another mud slinging effort - what comes around goes around!

[pipergirl]

anyone see the advert for this documentary on Monday?

Looks very very interesting and possibly damaging?

[Northern lovely]

I'm guessing there will be some undercover footage of staff.

Hope it's not too damaging for individuals.

NL

[RogerIrrelevant69]

Don't be disappointed if it:

- Is full of technical errors which every pilot will guffaw loudly at.
- Contains trivial incidents probably found in just about every airline in Europe.
- Wastes half of it's running time on subjective, emotional, speculative rubbish that would be better placed down the pub.

because I will be bloody surprised if it doesn't.

Cynical, not me, but just about every documentary about aviation I have seen (since I got into flying) ticked all of the above boxes.

[Mick Stability]

Let's hope it's a complete flop, gets no ratings, the director is fired, and the whole show is replaced by the Two Ronnies.

Maybe then these pond life will leave this industry alone. We've got enough problems as it is:mad:

[bacardi walla]

or, maybe it will be a success and eyes will be opened :bored: I'm surprised FR lawyers are not already on the case to get it stopped :*

[THE POINTY END]

Haven't seen this programme advertised yet. Did hear that one of our girls made a spoof video on her phone with fake demo's and stuff. Have heard that it's very funny. I do hope it's nothing to do with that. Can't people say or do anything in aviation without it being taken so seriously, or some journalist making a quick bit of extra cash at the expense of those working in the industry. Aren't those who work in aviation allowed to have fun or enjoy their job? Without whatever they say/do/think being placed under the mircroscope for an uneducated (in flying terms) audiance, sat on the sofa watching channel 4 and making judgements over a non-event. If the public want to believe all they see about flying, then just stick the comedy film "Airplane" on instead and call it a Channel 4 undercover exclusive.

[potkettleblack]

No doubt there will be some lawyers earning good money at the moment trying to secure an injunction. Strange to advertise it so early to give them a heads up. Yesterdays AAR incident won't be helping their cause any though. Ouch.

[SLFguy]

Don't be disappointed if it:



Is lambasted before it's even aired...... :hmm:

[RogerIrrelevant69]

Read again SLFguy:

Quote: "Don't be disappointed if it:
.....
because I will be bloody surprised if it doesn't."

No lambasting from me. Would be very bloody happily surprised if it manages to be both informed and objective.

[Kalium Chloride]

If the viewer isn't objective to begin with, the most objective programme won't sway his prejudices.


Fact is that the programme won't make any difference. The anti-Ryanair brigade will say it's all true. The anti-journo brigade will say it's all rubbish.

And so it will continue until there's a genuine examination as to whether low-cost ops are trimming safety margins or not. And that, friends, won't happen until - heaven forbid - 160 passengers and 70 tonnes of aluminium are disassembled in a field near you.

[Hand Solo]

Unfortunately Dispatches is not known for being objective. It's known for being big on sensationalism but short on facts. If it follows the format of their last effort there'll be about 10 minutes of footage which, broadcast deliberately out of context.might be considered incriminating. The rest will be idle speculation, rumour mongering or just plain lies.

[captjns]

Once again... Scumbag journalism at its best, or worst, depending on your... yawnnnnnn perspective.:rolleyes:

[stormin norman]

Might be a feature on a 'Scumbag' CEO ?

[easyboy]

I guess we will see what happens when it's broadcast on Monday

[CamelhAir]

This is emphatically not what is needed by anyone Ryanair. Expect the usual journalistic rubbish and allegations wide of the mark. Then watch LHC and his management buddies decry the whole thing as a lie (which what they show probably will be). Unfortunately the management shouting will nicely obscure the real issues, which are unlikely to get an airing.
Ryanair needs a proper investigation from competent authorities. Sensationalism will not help.

[bacardi walla]

Ryanair needs a proper investigation from competent authorities. Sensationalism will not help.

Hear hear :cool:

[10secondsurvey]

As a punter, I will be very interested in this documentary, and I find it hard to understand the paranoia (all the world hates us etc...) coming from some above. Why is the Ryanair CEO in court so often? why do so many people have bad stories about Ryanair?

I agree that some journalism is pretty poor, but here is the reality check - when you have a CEO who has a cavalier, publicly stated don't give a toss attitude, it is only a matter of time before questions start being asked. In a democracy, it is good to know that journalists have the freedom to investigate these types of issues, and I am equally sure if it is factually incorrect Ryanair will 'see C4 in court', as is also their right in a Democracy.

I agree with an earlier poster that it would be better if these questions were asked by relevant regulators, but sadly that doesn't seem to be happening. This is the result. Maybe the industry needs to look at itself rather than blaming everyone else, including documentary makers.

[Judge Whyte]

I don't think FR will be shy about a premptive strike or revenge if this "investigation" does not stands up.

[smith]

If this changes anything at FR, one thing is for sure prices will go up, Ryanair is making catching a plane like catching a bus and I like that.

[bacardi walla]

If this changes anything at FR, one thing is for sure prices will go up, Ryanair is making catching a plane like catching a bus and I like that.

But, safety must never come 2nd to cost.

[LTNman]

http://www.channel4.com/news/microsites/R/ryanair_caught_napping/index.html

Ryanair was founded in 1985 by Irish businessman Tony Ryan. It is Europe's largest low-cost carrier, operating 270 low-fare routes to 21 European countries.


Two Dispatches undercover reporters spent five months secretly filming Ryanair's training programme and onboard flights as members of the cabin crew . The reporters reveal what really takes place behind the scenes: inadequate safety and security checks, dirty planes, exhausted cabin crew and pilots complaining about the number of hours they have to fly. Watch Ryanair staff speaking frankly about their experiences and attitudes towards passengers. It is sure to make you think carefully before booking that next "no frills" flight

[easyboy]

LTNman said "It is sure to make you think carefully before booking that next "no frills" flight"

I don't think its appropriate to class all no frills or low cost airlines the same as Ryanair, just the same as you can't class flybe to be the same as easyJet.

Each airline is different, with similar operating procedures and rules.

What's so wrong with crew speaking to frankly about the job they do, there are times when we all have a moan about it - I'm no different.

I believe that judgement should be reserved until the program itself is broadcast, after all people in the industry will know what ‘normal’ practice is and what isn’t.

[essexboy]

Who ever these so called under cover reporters are they should be named and shamed. The company wont be hurt by this. Easyjet has a fly on the wall program every week that doesn’t exactly show them in the best light. It is the crew that will suffer. People these spies have made friends with in order to fit up. Some may loose their jobs. I hope these people are happy with their Machiavellian life style. I personally think they are scum.

[jabird]

Why is the Ryanair CEO in court so often? why do so many people have bad stories about Ryanair?

I suspect that MOL is actually champing for this programme. There are, presumably, enough "facts" to make an injunction futile, but why would they want to do that anyway?

One hour of prime time TV, which I doubt will reveal much that we don't know already, or that is really that different in other airlines.

After five months, I'd be surprised if they DIDN'T find a dirty plane, an overworked staff, or some small breach of a safety code.

The fact is that this will get people talking about them again, and I'm sure that MOL is well versed in the words of Oscar Wilde. Every time passengers like to tell you how much they hate Ryanair, you know who they will book their next flight with.

[Say Mach Number]

Just to add my two pence worth. Cant imagine in any airline there arent cabin crew out there that dont moan about long hours, multi sectors, crap money, night Tenerifes, rude punters and so on. As for the pilots lets face it we are working mightly longer/harder now than ever before. Last company about 7 years ago 500hrs tops, this company 900.

If your looking for an unhappy bunch to go after and get a few stories think there are some unhappier airlines than FR at the mo.

Everybody is going on strike or talking about it!!

[Buster the Bear]

5 months undercover. Events could not have been too bad, otherwise the undercover spies would have been too scared to fly and called in the authorities?

How much in addition to their Ryanair salaries were they paid, how many hours of undercover footage was recorded...etc?

I would not laugh at Ryanair because similar sensational journalism might actually be occurring undercover in your airline right now! Where there is a possible sensational story, there is money!

I would not gloat too much, it might be you being filmed undercover next?

[easyboy]

I couldnt agree more with Buster The Bears comments

[Centre cities]

Or perhaps there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Centre cities

[alexss]

Ryanair has now published the correspondance it had with C4 on its website:

....which I will not post here as it would be advertising.

[Catabolic IBS]

I feel that the real issue is that in our line of work there is a real danger that behaviour, appearance and conversations are taken out of context, further more possible "evidence" is gathered covertly and then broadcast to the public without expressed consent! I'm not sure that is right no matter how you look at it :bored:

If Ryanair is concerned (which I think it is) again this could be taken out of context....they may in fact be concerned that information is divulged without consent and without a right to reply in full....not everything in life is clearcut and dealing with journalists is a very slippery buisness:E.

Note time of screeining is 8 Pm

[Baron rouge]

I hope those in the film without their consent will not be shy to claim compensation for it and will probably have a helping hand from Ryanair.
Having been once the victim of TV journalists tricks, I can assure that this TV film will show people and a comment completely disconnected from the facts beeing shown.
For example, I was shown on the flight deck with a nasty comment on how the crew did a 30 minutes strike at a stopover, forgetting to tell the viewers I was not the crew who had done it.
They are just scums, those journos:mad:

[7006 fan]

Although I agree with many of the sentiments expressed here, and before anyone jumps in -I too have been within the subject of one of the BBC things- yes they do hype and bend the truth and sometimes provide only half a picture, but if what was suggested in that programme was only half true (rather than half truthes): I would feel slightly uncomfortable. It may be a load of disgruntled staff whom the reporter singled out, but having worked for a 'sweat-box' firm and fallen asleep at the wheel whilst driving home once (only for a blink, that scared me) I was leaving for work at 6am to get into the office for 9am, then leaving at 6pm to get home at 8pm (and driving during the working day) 20 hours a week flying sounds good to me (await tirade of pilots explaining that flying is more pressurable than driving in the East-end of London, talk to a cabbie or bus driver -one of the highest heart attack/disease rates of any job, I understand). I think the docu' painted a not too unfair picture of what it is like to work for a company that cuts costs to the bone and gets more than enough from its' staff, I do not condone or applaud -just state that it exemplifies a perfect 'capitalist model'. Fritz Lang's Metropolis is a perfect example (the guy on the 'electric clock')

Cherrs
7006

[PPRuNe Pop]

This thread is running out of steam and I am going to close it. However, there is another thread on R&N and you can see it with this link.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=211164&page=16