Ryanair's incompetence and dishonesty...

[Fancy Navigator]

:mad: This is to report the imcompetence and the dishonesty of the airline Ryanair.
On 20/02/2003, I booked 2 tickets for flights from London (Stansted) to Perpignan on the 5th of April with flights back on the 14th of April. The booking was made on the internet. The times shown during the booking process were as follows:
5th of April: Flight FR936 London (Stansted) - Perpignan 17.05 - 20.00
14th of April: Flight FR937 Perpignan - London (Stansted) 17.05 - 18.05
I therefore made the booking with these times and they were confirmed in the email sent by Ryanair regarding flights booked.
I then decided to book flights to/from Stansted on easyJet.com to achieve the connection.
These flights were as follows:
5th April: Flight EZY236 Edinburgh - London (Stansted) 14.15 - 15.40
14th April: Flight EZY243 London (Stansted) - Edinburgh 20.20 - 21.35

The easyJet flights therefore were giving me the time to make the connections at Stansted on the 5th and 14th of April 2003.

On 27/02/2003, I noticed through browsing on the internet that the times of the Ryanair flight from Stansted to Perpignan (and flight back on the 14th of April) had been changed and were now as follows:
5th April: Flight FR936 London (Stansted) - Perpignan 15.35 - 18.30
14th April: Flight FR937 Perpignan - London (Stansted) 18.55 - 19.55

This obviously makes me miss my Ryanair flight on the 5th of April (Stansted - Perpignan) and my easyjet flight on 14 of April (Stansted - Edinburgh).

I therefore have the option to re-book my easyJet tickets (which gonna costs me about £100) with an overnight stay at Stansted (extra cost for accomodation).

Ryanair has failed to update their internet website due to their imcompetence and lack of professionalism. They obviously let me book flights with incorrect times and now assume no responsibility for it.

On 28/02, I phoned their reservation line and were told by a very nippy phone operator that the airline was assuming no responsibility at all for this change. Times were, according to the lady on the phone, subject to change without notice. In the meantime, I had discoverered that Ryanair always change their schedule twice a year (in early April for the summer schedule and late October for the winter schedule). I pointed this out to the operator on the phone, but to no avail.
I therefore conclude they let me book tickets at incorrect times (winter schedule times as it appeared to be) on their website perfectly knowing that a timetable change would occur from the 4th of April.
The phone operator then said to me that they had sent me 2 emails notifying me of this change. This is a lie! I never received these 2 emails.

The only "compensation" they offer me is to take a flight back to Stansted on the 14th of April from Carcassonne or Montpellier to get to Stansted on time to catch my connecting flight back to Scotland. Flying from Carcassonne or Montpellier, however, will cost me again more money as I will have to pay for train tickets, taxi, etc... to get to these airports. On top of that, I still lose my easyJet flight from Edinburgh to Stansted on the 5th of April or at least, have to modify it with extra cost. Far from being ENOUGH !

The phone operator has asked me to write to the Customer Sevice department to lodge a complaint.

That is what I will do. I do not expect much though....

Well.... next time, I will fly orange....

[soddim]

Don't you just love the cheap service you get from a cheap airline!

[touch&go]

I'm flying with Lufthansa next month and there terms say:


Quote:

Schedules are subject to change without notice. Carrier assumes no responsibility for making connections.



So this is prob the norm.

[BIGMACH]

You pay your money and you take your choice.

If you buy the cheapests ticket with airline A. What obligation do they have to meet a connection with airline B?

[Idunno]

No its not.

Lufthansa policy is different in two respects.

First: If the company makes a schedule change it is their policy to inform you.

Second: If the schedule change is not acceptable to you then they refund you in full.

I believe that is the policy for other full service airlines too.

The quote you refer to is in respect of unscheduled delays or changes only!

[XSBaggage]

Please oh please lets not get into another low cost vs full service argument.

Fancy Navigator, I think your story would be better off on a consumer website.

I have heard of this problem occasionally, whenever there is a schedule change one or two pax "slip through the net". As I said, it happens with most airlines, and lets not get into another debate.

[touch&go]

Idunno, this is the terms of my ticket.



CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

1.As used in this contract 'ticket' means this passenger ticket and baggage check, or this itinerary/receipt as applicable, in the case of an electronic ticket, of which these conditions and the notices form part,'carriage' is equivalent to 'transportation', 'carrier' means all air carriers that carry or undertake to carry the passenger or his baggage hereunder or perform any other service incidental to such air carriage, 'electronic ticket' means the Itinerary/Receipt issued by or on behalf of Carrier, the Electronic Coupons and, if applicable, a boarding document.Warsaw Convention' means the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air signed at Warsaw, 12th October 1929, or that Convention as amended at the Hague, 28th September 1955, whichever may be applicable. 2. Carriage hereunder is subject to the rules and limitations relating to liability established by the Warsaw Convention unless such carriage is not 'International carriage' as defined by that Convention. For carriage wholly within the UK the provisions of the Carriage by Air Act 1961 and Order made thereunder apply. 3. To the extent not in conflict with the foregoing, carriage and other services performed by each carrier are subject to: (i) provisions contained in the ticket;(ii)applicable tariffs; (iii)carrier's conditions of carriage and related regulations which are made part hereof (and are available on application at the offices of carrier), except in transportation between a place in the United States or Canada and any place outside thereof to which tariffs in force in those countries apply. 4. Carrier's name may be abbreviated in the ticket, the full name and its abbreviation being set forth in carrier's tariffs, address shall be the airport of departure shown opposite the first abbreviation of carrier's name in the ticket; the agreed stopping places are those places set forth in this ticket or as shown in carrier's timetables as scheduled stopping places on the passenger's route; carriage to be performed hereunder by several successive carriers is regarded as a single operation. 5. An air carrier issuing a ticket for carriage over the lines of another air carrier does so only as its Agent. 6. Any exclusion or limitation of liability of carrier shall apply to and be for the benefit of agents, servants and representatives of carrier and any person whose aircraft is used by carrier for carriage and its agents, servants and representatives. 7. Checked baggage will be delivered to bearer of the baggage check. In case of damage to baggage moving in international transportation complaint must be made in writing to carrier forthwith after discovery of damage and, at the latest, within seven days from receipt; in case of delay, complaint must be made within 21 days from date the baggage was delivered. See tariffs or conditions of carriage regarding non-international transportation. 8. This ticket is good for carriage for one year from date of issue, except as otherwise provided in this ticket, in carrier's tariffs, conditions of carriage, or related regulations. The fare for carriage hereunder is subject to change prior to commencement of carriage. Carrier may refuse transportation if the applicable fare has not been paid. 9. Carrier undertakes to use its best efforts to carry the passenger and baggage with reasonable dispatch. Times shown in timetables or elsewhere are not guaranteed and form no part of this contract.


Quote:

Carrier may without notice substitute alternate carriers or aircraft, and may alter or omit stopping places shown on the ticket in case of necessity. Schedules are subject to change without notice. Carrier assumes no responsibility for making connections





10. Passenger shall comply with Government travel requirements, present exit, entry and other required documents and arrive at airport by time fixed by carrier or, if no time is fixed, early enough to complete departure procedures. 11. No agent, servant or representative of carrier has authority to alter, modify or waive any provision of this contract. CARRIER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE CARRIAGE TO ANY PERSON WHO HAS ACQUIRED A TICKET IN VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE LAW OR CARRIER'S TARIFFS, RULES OR REGULATIONS. Issued by the Carrier whose name is in the 'Issued By' section on the face of the Passenger Ticket and Baggage Check. SUBJECT TO TARIFF REGULATIONS.

[soddim]

The problem is that passengers cannot with the low cost airlines obtain a through service to their destination using multiple carriers. The solution is one that these same airlines really ought to look at if they want to be around in a few years because passengers are getting harder to find.

Having travelled extensively with many airlines for too many years I now hate the whole process from check-in to arrival. The current recession in the industry is not just because of the threat of war but is also because of the way the passengers are treated. Check-in is often overcrowded and many desks empty because of staff shortages. BAA have taken most of the public airport space and turned it into a retail park and one suspects that the main reason for the hours of low grade hanging around from check-in to boarding is not security but profit from shopping and restaurants. Flight delays and cancellations are seldom covered with any or adequate compensation and I have had enough of being treated like cattle. Air travel is like road travel in UK - nobody in their right mind does it unless they have to.

The arrival of the 'cheap' airlines might not persuade the number of extra passengers they need to get on board.

[Idunno]

touch&go, I didn't bother to read all that. No need. I just asked the Lady I live with (who is a Lufty ticket res supervisor).

She asked me to tell you that whatever the legal blurb says is one thing...what is standard policy is another.

[Final 3 Greens]

Its very unwise to book anything other than a single 'point to point' flight with LCAs - e.g. don't try and cobble 'connections' together.

There are too many things that can go wrong, e.g. change of schedules, disruption delaying flights, cancellation etc.

And if you have a problem, the T&Cs may be applied more firmly than with a full service airline, since low costs primary driver is keeping costs low, whereas full service airlines still have a customer service ethic - e.g. the LH ticket supervisors point.

[Fancy Navigator]

What I mean is that RYANAIR made the mistake in letting me book flights at the wrong times knowing that the schedule was to change... I consider they cannot put flights on sale at times which they know are not going to be valid !
I understand they assume no responsibility for making connections, and I would perfectly understand if I had missed the connection because the first flight was cancelled, delayed on the day itself..... but on this occasion, I had missed the connection without knowing it the day I booked the tickets..... I am sorry, but that should not happen !
Ryanair has a Passenger Charter in which they say they are committed to provide information to passengers regarding its commercial conditions at the time of booking:
Planned scheduled time of departure and arrival of the flights
Airport/terminal of departure and arrival
Any conditions attached to the fare to be paid
Name of Operating carrier and flight number

In this instance, I consider that Ryanair informed me wrongly on the basic details of my flights and are therefore responsible for it.

They sold me false or inaccurate tickets!

[sky9]

FN
You have to equate buying tickets with some LCA's to buying at a car boot sale.
No refunds.
No service.
Travel at your own risk, and don't expect a guarantee to get back at the end.
Until "Jo Public" wakes up to the fact that you cannot get something for nearly nothing they will continue to have these problems.

[touch&go]

Idunno, thanks for that info, I have got only have 45 minutes at MUC to transfer on to a flight to HKG, not a lot of time , so I'm glad to hear that they will help me if my flight from the UK is late.

[Fancy Navigator]

OK, they are low cost airlines, but why should costumers continue to be treated like s***? Accepting the fact that they are low cost airlines does not mean that customers should have no right at all and take all the risks....while the airlines get the money whatever happens.
Sky9, your comparison with a car boot sale does not stand because the low cost airlines are big companies which are quoted on the Stock Exchange and make millions of Pounds every year (it is not like buying something at a car boot sale - sure there will be no refund or service. They owe their customers respect and must provide them with a quality service from A to Z.
IF the airline has made a mistake, they have to assume the consequences. It is too easy to hide behind the label "Low cost airline = no responsibility" People need to realise this.

[Idunno]

Touch & go, my lady freind is a very sympathetic and helpful person, but in my view anyone who knowingly books a flight transiting a busy airport with only 45 minutes in hand deserves no sympathy at all.

[touch&go]

Idunno, yes I agree, but I booked it as Man to HGK, only when I got the ticket it showed a stop, I contacted Lufthansa and they said that it was ok and wouldn't change the ticket, I said that the first boarding call for my flight would be made as I landed, but they say that any time a less than 30 minutes would be a problem, but as I have 45 minutes then thats ok, I did ask could I travel on the flight an hour earlier but no joy. Yes I should not push things so tight but I only book an A to B flight not an A to B to C flight.

Cheers.

[Ivan Taclue]

Idduno and others.

Aboslutely correct - herein lies the problem!

If people construct their own itinerary with different carriers then the onus is on the punter to observe the MCT Minimum Connection Time.

If travelling on the same carrier then the reservations agent is not supposed to accept the booking. In any case it is pointed out and noted in the SI part of the booking.

At MUC the LH operation is very good as sometimes a/c are held for transfer pax, especially if there is a number of them transferring. Additionally they do often utilise dedicated ramp transfer mini-coaches for very short transits but they DO NOT guarantee baggage transfer!

I.e. you get what you pay for: SERVICE............

[Findo]

Summer / winter schedule changes and clocks forward / back. This is obviously a new fiendish system designed just by MOL to trap the innocent who book tickets with his airline so he can p*** them off.

He presumably thought this one up after running out of babies to eat and staff to sack ....................

If you play at Travel Agents make sure you read all the rules before starting your game. Get a life Fancy Navigator.

[Final 3 Greens]

Touch n Go

A recent experience form MUC and LH (Mid Feb.)

According to the lady on the Business Lounge reception desk, the minimum connection time required is 35 mins, so if you have this or more LH will sort out any probs. (This was for a business class ticket, so don’t know their attitude to economy.)

They even said they’d endorse my tkt (business class restricted) to BA if necessary.

[Idunno]

OK Touch&go, you didn't make that point clear in your first post. As far as I'm concerned you've got a perfect right now to expect LH to sort out your difficulties if you miss the connection. The fault is theirs if it goes wrong.

I think you'll find them very helpful to their pax.

I don't work for LH myself. Mores the pity... they treat their staff well too!

[touch&go]

No problem Idunno, thanks for the info and I'll post the out come on here on my return at the end of March

Thanks

[bealine]

Fancy Navigator - Your trust in Consumer Power is touching.......if a trifle naive!

Why do you think low-cost carriers are low-cost and BA has such high overheads! It's cos the low cost boys give you zilch if anything goes wrong!

I'm ashamed to say that my own airline is now much tougher at providing compensation - every aspect of travel is examined before a decision to reroute, hotel accommodate or provide car transport is made these days.

Far from improving the consumers' lot, the low cost boys have screwed it up for everyone I'm afraid and, judging by performances of late, I think Ryanair and Easyjet will disappear long before BA!!!

[eng123]

Here we go again.........lets bash RYR!
I CANNOT UNDERSTAND YOU!If you want all the benefits of the 'traditional'airlines,then PAY FOR IT!You can't have it both ways!
FN,Why didn't you book with BA or similar?Because you didn't want to pay!RYR is a point to point airline,they even recommend not to book other flights on the strength of their schedule on their website when you book.
The only reason why people say their service is poor is because you expect too much.RYR will deliver you to your destination SAFELY,MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IN BRAND NEW AIRCRAFT AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT ON TIME!
If you want the perks of the full fare carrier's then fly with them and pay the extra £200-£300. :mad:

[bealine]

If you want the perks of the full fare carrier's then fly with them and pay the extra £200-£300.

Hell!!! Where did you get that from?

In 95% of cases, BA is cheaper than the no-frills boys - we've checked it out! The only cheaper tickets are those that it's not commercially viable to offer - smart business people know that there will be heavy restrictions on the really low fares, so they won't apply to business people anyway!!!

It is the handful of pax who get the "£15" one-way deal who benefit, the vast majority end up paying "normal" fares for NO SERVICE.

Fortunately, people don't remain stupid for long and the load factors on our British Airways short haul and domestic routes speak volumes about returning customer confidence!!!

[Idunno]

Touch & Go I just had a look at the rule book LH use in determining airport transfer times. These are figures produced by IATA, not just the airlines. The figure for an International transfer at MUC is 35 minutes just as you were told. Personally I think it's tight, but like I said earlier as long as LH sold you the flight all the way from LHR to HKG via MUC then they are responsible for any foul up. Make sure that when you check in at LHR you are checked in all the way to HKG because this copper fastens your rights. LH will either re-route you or put you up in a hotel if you miss the connection.

Fancy Navigator I think you really have a good case to bring to the Office of Fair Trading, or preferably to the Air Transport Users Council ( http://www.caa.co.uk/auc/default.asp ). Although MOL has described this UK CAA organisation as 'an unelected quango'!
I hope you are succesful in your efforts to get a refund, if thats what you want, but at the very least you should make the complaint because it adds to the statistical database they publish regularly showing airline customer complaints levels.

As someone connected with a 'full service airline' I have to admit to a certain wry satisfaction every time I read or hear of another pax getting shafted by the LCOs (not intending to sound cruel).

I used to get angry at the likes of FR myself, but now I just feel that some pax deserve all they get (or don't get - more likely!).

The LCOs provide a basic service. Its cheap and nasty. If you get screwed up...well you took the risk. Such pax are basically enjoying 'benefits' similiar to what airline staff have 'enjoyed' for years. You might get a cheap ticket, but when you don't do your homework right, or when you are let down and things go wrong there's absolutely no point in complaining. You just get on with plan B.

Staff pax are used to being bumped off flights or being rudely dismissed at standby desks. But staff pax have learned to always have a backup plan. We do our homework right or suffer the consequences. Non-rev/staff pax have had to learn that the hard way. As Ernest K. Gann used to say "always keep an out in your back pocket".

Your particular situation is slightly different, thats why you should make the complaint, but always realise in future exactly what you're buying into with the LCOs. You know now anyhow.

Caveat Emptor.

[Findo]

bealine

It is the handful of pax who get the "£15" one-way deal who benefit, the vast majority end up paying "normal" fares for NO SERVICE.

Have a wee look at Ryanair from Glasgow to London. In 5 years they have gone from zero to 10 flights a day. I regularly book late and still get fares for £1.99 plus tax. In those 5 years I have never found any way of getting charged more than £110 for a day return. I have booked late, had fully flexible tickets, gone on peak flights, changed flights and still not managed it. I'm obviously doing something wrong. When on the other hand I can easily achive a BMI or Shuttle fare which exceeds £300. And I am so grateful to receive my ham sandwich in a bag... makes the extra £200 seem insignificant.

As for flights to Southampton and Bournemouth my accountant is steeling himself. No more £350 returns on the barbie jet. I have told him I'm struggling to pay more than £20 each way. I even take a hotel and dinner just to get the cost up to something reasonable but I still can't get it more than half the BA fare.

Help me. What am I doing wrong ?


:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[FormerFlyer]

FN

Would you have been this upset if FR offered a direct nonstop service from EDI which suffered from the same "time change" scenario?

If not then you cannot be justifiably annoyed at what has happened to you.

FF

[cargosales]

Said it before. Will say it again.

If you you use a LCA paying silly money for flights then don't expect anything and you won't be disappointed.

I often do, I don't and I rarely am. :)


Experience shows though that playing 'travel agent' is not a wise thing to do. :(

CS

[MarkD]

The thing with Ryanair is that they seem to put the summer schedule into the computer pretty late. I have had this issue with FR over tickets in April but fortunately the changes were minor. I think they actually phoned to tell me, cant be sure it was two years ago now but I know I did speak to someone at the time.

BA etc. seem to have the summer timetable locked down much earlier.

[Xenia]

:cool: I love this forum as all the users here can keep cool and calm exchanging ideas on different subjects. Well done :D
Once again I have to make an invitation not to post using capitals ... I have been flying nearly 17 years and my ears are very delicate and sensitive by now :ouch:
Please don't shout, there's not need for that :=

[eng123]

Xenia,there's surely nothing wrong with showing a bit of emotion........is there?!!
bealine,in my experience,you are wrong.I have had several excellent short breaks away flying with RYR.So long as you book early and are flexible enough with travel dates and are willing to sit at the pc for a while you will find the bargains.How about a 4 day trip to Genoa for 2 adults 2 kids last summer for the wallet shattering price of 10 quid each way per person[plus about another 10 in taxes]Just down the coast is 'cinque terre' which is a fabulous place to spend a few days.Also went to Monaco for the day.Could BA have got us all there and back for less than £160??.....er,think not!

[bealine]

eng123

Point Taken - but how easy is it to get these £10 fares? I don't know how much BA would have been last year, butif you go to www.ba.com and look up London to Genoa - Out 3rd August back on any other day except Saturday £29 each way from LHR or LGW.

You don't have to buy your own refreshments on board and you know you'll end up at the main airport!

You would have to be very fortunate indeed to get Ryanair's lowest fares!

It's a myth that the mainstream scheduled carriers are expensive - they never have been! The APEX (Advance Purchase Excursion) has always represented excellent value as long as you book early and are prepared to stick rigidly to travel plans!

[OllyBeak]

Mr Navigator

>>>Ryanair has a Passenger Charter in which they say they are committed to provide information to passengers <<<

I sympathise with your problem, but really, 'Passenger Charter' is nearly as bad as 'Mission Statement'.

Hah!

Do companies anywhere insert the tiniest bit of truth into their 'mission statements'?

Does Mr Draper have a pithy comment on the subject? Or does he never stray from Jet Blast?

Thanks. Feel much better now.

[Xenia]

eng123,
Nothing wrong with showing emotions, especially with me being Italian :E
Use b, fonts, sizes, colors, smiley faces, gesticulate a lot ... just please do not shout :ok:

[zed3]

Touch&Go - We arrived in Frankfurt at the end of December on a delayed Lufthansa Phoenix to Frankfurt connecting through to Dusseldorf. From doors open at Frankfurt we had 30 mins to connect and change terminal! OK we were in Business and so were out quickly but we did make the Dusseldorf, they were boarding when we arrived at the gate. Our bags also made it to Dusseldorf on the same flight ! I was impressed.

[eng123]

bealine,having checked your link,and then checked Ryanair.com,Hands up.the BA price is the same as RYR,and I am genuinly surprised at that!
However,I do take issue with what you said about there are no happy RYR employees.......There is one here!
On a more serious note,I RESENT [happy Xenia?!!]the implication that safety is any less on Ryanair than on BA.As you know,we operate to exactly the same standards as your beloved BA.
Xenia,you sound great!!!Anywhere near our 'alternative' destinations?!!

Xenia,don't know what happened to the 'resent' in the last post! I tried!Please tell me off,sorry,I meant please don't tell me off!

[Scottie Dog]

The important point that has been picked up on by Idunno is that if you purchase a through ticket from A to C via B, then you have 1 contract.

I have been a corporate travel agent for 30+ years and will always point this out to travellers who may try to save a few pounds by having seperate tickets issued for a complicated itinerary that might have tight connections.

Assume that you checkin from Manchester to Heathrow on 1 ticket and then have a connection onwards to Hong Kong on a seperate ticket. If the MAN/LHR flight is delayed then that carrier - whether BA or BD - can refuse any compensation if you miss your conenction. Your contract is for travel to London. In a similar way, the onward carrier is within its rights to refuse boarding if you were late in arriving for checkin.

Minimum connecting times are getting tighter and tighter as airlines become competitive. Munich and Brussels are two airports with very short connections. As a professional, with an interest in aviation, I would always point out to a traveller if a connection looks tight - and especially if the onward flight is the only service of the day. With internet bookings becoming more and more prevalent, travellers will book what is shown without the advantage of the services of a good agent.


Schedule changes do normally happen twice a year - end of March and end of October - when the clocks change. If you have booked a through fare with an IATA carrier, and a schedule change occurs that effects an onward connection, then you will normally be permitted to change to another connecting flight at no extra cost. Some carriers are better at protecting onward connections than others.

Low cost carriers are a world of their own. As has been said by so many, I would never book a connection with anything under a 2 hour connection and would prefer to allow 3 hours.

Hope this helps to clarify the situation a little.

Scottie Dog

:cool:

[touch&go]

Scottie Dog, when my tickets arrived there were 2 of them on the out bound, MAN to MUC, MUC to HKG, with only 45 minutes at MUC, I have tied to get the earlier flight which will give me 2 hours in MUC but LH say there isn't a problem and won't change it.

You say your a travel agent, can you tell me is there another flight on a Tuesday from MUC to HKG after the 20:50 flight?.

[brownstar]

bealine

as regards the ease of purchase of tickets for £10, I would say that it is very easy to get tickets at this price or cheaper to a large number of destinations.

You also mentioned safety, well MoL doesn't fly planes! He runs the money side, Pilots run the flying side, and besides, many of our pilots comes from a wide range of backgrounds, Fighter jet pilots, Navy pilots, ex BA747 pilots, Virgin pilots, SAS, Maersk, etc. , Ryanair operate in the same airspace, under the same rules, and by the same training method/ standards as other airlines.

so why don't you go blow your mis-informed horn elsewhere !!

[eng123]

Well said,Brownstar!

[Scottie Dog]

Touch&Go

See your Private Messages

Scottie Dog

[Xenia]

http://digilander.libero.it/doniuccia/faccine/Confused/weird_thread.gif

I agree with some users here, I personally am clueless on how Ryanair is run, but for sure can say their safety record doesn't look bad to me, as had never know of any disasters.

What was the original post about anyway? http://digilander.libero.it/doniuccia/faccine/Confused/Confused2/icon_frustrated.gif

[bealine]

You also mentioned safety, well MoL doesn't fly planes! He runs the money side, Pilots run the flying side, and besides, many of our pilots comes from a wide range of backgrounds, Fighter jet pilots, Navy pilots, ex BA747 pilots, Virgin pilots, SAS, Maersk, etc. , Ryanair operate in the same airspace, under the same rules, and by the same training method/ standards as other airlines

Okay, okay.......I was taking too much notice of an article reported in the "Daily Mail" regarding a particular Ryanair Captain
wh allegedly questioned the instructions given by Air Traffic Control. Allegedly whilst the controller's attention was being diverted by "arguing the toss" with said pilot, other aircraft could have been placed at risk!

Having said that, I have become only too well aware that the "Daily Mail" does not always report factually or fairly (indeed over on BA's Crew Forum, there is quite a lengthy thread on why British Airways should boycott said tabloid "comic")!!!

I'll apologise unreservedly for any comments regarding Ryanair's safety and accept the fact that their aircraft fleet is modern, well-maintained and that their Engineers and Pilots follow the same standards and procedures as everyone else!

Furthermore, I'll go back over this thread and delete any earlier derogatory comments I may have made!

[eng123]

Top man bealine! Another Ryanair-basher converted?!! Maybe MOL will give me a pay-rise!! OK,maybe not!
Xenia,like the wierd thread sign!Made me smile
:D
All the best,
eng123.