Ryanair secrets?

[mickyman]

I like the way you threw that in TT

[TeaTowel]

Solidarity is a word Ryanair pilots don't understand it seems

The reason solidarity no longer exists across the pilot community is because of the wedge management drove into us. That wedge is constructed of FR(and similar) pilots.

And their numbers continue to grow.

[Speed of Sound]

Thread is here

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/5...ng-safety.html

and as far as I can see nothing has been edited, moved or deleted.

[Alanwsg]

But it has been locked, so you can't add to the debate.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

Thread threatens court for unfair dismissal

[Aldente]

Actually, I'm surprised this one made it as far as 8 pages.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

Despite being informed repeatedly via confidential reports, the UK CAA SRG still fails to take effective, positive and permanent action against any UK operator who abuses the FTLs scheme, or overloads its ground engineers with excessive tasking or allowing underqualified technicians to work unsupervised on public transport aircraft. The only response we receive are mealy-mouthed quotes regarding the verbiage in the appropriate publication.

Barking
Why dont you put your money where your mouth is and come up with the goods on FTL abuse, go to C4 maybe. I joined an major airline quiet a few years ago, great people, but within 3 months I was in the Belgrano with all the Directors for a tea without biscuits get it sorted or your AOC is in doubt message from Mr Big at CAA. Nothing untoward just lack of experience / processes / manpower etc
Let's face it theres not many airlines left in the UK these days, level playing field springs to mind...

[TeaTowel]

So explain to us why they don't walk out Callsign Kilo? Its not really a vocation, they aren't going to work to save lives like a paramedic, nobody will miss them. Unless your a pilot flying SAR, medivac or medical supplies, you're not really needed.
Like I said a few pissed off holiday goers and a businessman who decides then and there he will switch to on-line video chat but that's it.

And yet all FR pilots went to work today. Some probably sick, some under stress......and they have absolutely no need to be there.

Shame over in Arran too. I overheard a new-joiner the other day still on probation saying he cant possibly go on strike next week because he'll be fired. So his colleagues will be trying their hardest to improve conditions and he'll cross the picket lines to pay off his mortgage.(Yes both a mortgage and a flight training loan! A lot of us Irish were selfish idiots the last 10 years and I apologise to the EU taxpayer)

Its going to be the same with the new BA, EI etc cadets too. They will owe too much to management for handing them a shiny-jet to speak out over issues.

But I know nothing that goes on but clearly you do.

Tell us Callsign Kilo. We would love to hear it.

[crewmeal]

I'm pretty sure Capt Goss knew exactly what he was doing by going to Channel 4 with all the allegations. He would have worked at this for sometime and would realise the consequences of his actions. He would have documented the evidence even though Ryanair have threatened legal action. This would have not been done on a whim unlike some of the comments on here. He had a senior position with the company and realised he would probably loose his pension (if he had one). If he firmly believed in 'telling all' I'm sure he would have expected to be fired as a result.

[Desk-pilot]

Safety at Ryanair

I'm very disappointed to hear that Ryanair have fired the Captain who appeared in the CH4 documentary. Perhaps their safety culture would be more inspiring if they had listened to him instead. I am curious if there are indeed certain aspects of Ryanairs operation that I am told differ quite significantly from other carriers: I would welcome comment from Ryanair pilots confirming whether or not these differences are indeed the case - they are all things I have been told by ex-Ryanair colleagues:

I have been informed that Ryanair use photocopies of approach and departure plates, everyone else uses originals. The photocopies according to an ex Ryanair colleague aren't always legible.

I'm told Ryanair don't pay for SID/STAR data in their FMS like other airlines do so pilots are manually keying in waypoints which is a potential area for error in the very busy airspace around airports. This would explain why Dublin always ask you for the first point in your FMS route?

I have also heard that some Ryanair pilots are apparently sleeping in cars before operating at Stansted because they are so broke during line training they can't afford to rent a room.

It's a fact that Ryanair are turning jets around in 25 mins when most other companies allow 40 mins or more. The question you have to ask is - is 25 minutes enough time to do everything properly? - the walk-around, the set-up, cross checking the selected route in the FMS or is it pushing people to work so fast they are more likely to make errors? Same goes for the fact that they report only 45 mins before pushback where other airlines report at least 1 hr before or more which allows 30 mins to read weather, notams, decide on fuel policy and have a safety brief with the crew and then another 30 mins to fire up the aircraft, walk around, run the tests, check the route and board the pax.

Do Ryanair position crew or put them in hotels when they require them to work in remote bases or are you responsible for getting there and back yourself? How do you ensure adequate rest pre-flight?

Does the fact Ryanair apparently charge crew for tea/coffee/water at passenger rates and provide no crew food mean sometimes you are flying when hungry or thirsty?

Does flying into less popular airports with more complex approaches rather than a major airport with an ILS increase the risk of incident?

A colleague of mine who flew there for three years maintains that they're pushing the limits so hard all the time in so many areas they've been lucky so far.

It's a fact that many of us as professional pilots hear such stories and I for one would like to know if they're just rumour or fact...

[spoon84]

All this is just crazy, AGAIN! It's not the first time that people talk about concerns about safety in Ryanair and again the airline instead of react in a "normal" way...they started with legal action, shutting down Facebook pages, fired pilots, ect...

I do not believe that fly Ryanair is more dangerous than fly Air France, Alitalia, Lufthansa or whichever airline, i strong believe that the aviation system and regulations are working but, if they pilots put their hands up and said..."hey there might be a problem because of the pressure you put on us for XYZ reasons" the company should listen to them, should come to a compromise!!
Ryanair reaction is definitely a bad imagine for public opinion and in a long-term could be dangerous in the event of an accident, everyone will go back to look for the warnings of the pilots, accusing the management.

I would like that those 1000 pilots of Ryanair could find the strength to go on strike and let some aircrafts on ground!!! O'Leary and the management deserve it, pilots must fight for their dignity...seem to see the cotton producers of the nineteennth century!!

[AlexanderH]

Realistically though, say for example 1000 Ryanair pilots did decide to strike over conditions at work etc.. could Ryanair really afford to fire them given the time to train new FOs and the general time taken to recruit staff these days?

Or is this something Ryanair would find easy to get around?

I'm genuinely interested and not having a dig.

[SD.]

I have been informed that Ryanair use photocopies of approach and departure plates, everyone else uses originals. The photocopies according to an ex Ryanair colleague aren't always legible. Never felt that was a threat

I'm told Ryanair don't pay for SID/STAR data in their FMS like other airlines do so pilots are manually keying in waypoints which is a potential area for error in the very busy airspace around airports. This would explain why Dublin always ask you for the first point in your FMS route? No, that's not true. All SID / Star are in the FMC

I have also heard that some Ryanair pilots are apparently sleeping in cars before operating at Stansted because they are so broke during line training they can't afford to rent a room. Quite possible, no evidence to suggest if that's true or false.

It's a fact that Ryanair are turning jets around in 25 mins when most other companies allow 40 mins or more. The question you have to ask is - is 25 minutes enough time to do everything properly? - the walk-around, the set-up, cross checking the selected route in the FMS or is it pushing people to work so fast they are more likely to make errors? Same goes for the fact that they report only 45 mins before pushback where other airlines report at least 1 hr before or more which allows 30 mins to read weather, notams, decide on fuel policy and have a safety brief with the crew and then another 30 mins to fire up the aircraft, walk around, run the tests, check the route and board the pax. IMO 25mins and -45 mins STD is not enough to do the job as per SOP.

Do Ryanair position crew or put them in hotels when they require them to work in remote bases or are you responsible for getting there and back yourself? How do you ensure adequate rest pre-flight? No, you are responsible to 'position' to your new temporary base and arrange accommodation and transport. This positioning is not recorded as duty time, nor are standby duties.

Does the fact Ryanair apparently charge crew for tea/coffee/water at passenger rates and provide no crew food mean sometimes you are flying when hungry or thirsty? Quite often crew will fly without adequate food and drinks.

Does flying into less popular airports with more complex approaches rather than a major airport with an ILS increase the risk of incident? Not really, other operators fly into equally ****ty little airports with similar facilities.

A colleague of mine who flew there for three years maintains that they're pushing the limits so hard all the time in so many areas they've been lucky so far. No comment

It's a fact that many of us as professional pilots hear such stories and I for one would like to know if they're just rumour or fact...

[rog747]

if the 1000 or so pilots rightly stick together on these matters and enter into some sort of industrial relations pact then does MOL have the guts to sack them all because that is that what he will likely say to them, ?

you all stick together and go against me then i sack you all?

[Father Jack Hackett]

He doesn't need to sack a thousand pilots. If he sacks, say, 100 pour encourager les autres, that would probably have the desired effect. The Romans operated a similar policy......

[Speed of Sound]

Or is this something Ryanair would find easy to get around?

No, they wouldn't but I suspect they would do it anyway.

The poor terms and conditions of Ryanair's staff are an important part of its business model and having to cancel flights and even some routes in an attempt to replace sacked staff would be seen as a price worth paying.

[ExRR]

crewmeal:

I'm pretty sure Capt Goss knew exactly what he was doing by going to Channel 4 with all the allegations. He would have worked at this for sometime and would realise the consequences of his actions. He would have documented the evidence even though Ryanair have threatened legal action. This would have not been done on a whim unlike some of the comments on here. He had a senior position with the company and realised he would probably loose his pension (if he had one). If he firmly believed in 'telling all' I'm sure he would have expected to be fired as a result.

He would have been open to a credibility issue had he waited until he was collecting his pension before speaking out with folk wondering why he didn't speak out whilst he was still in their employ. In any event do Ryanair have a company pension scheme or are all employees expected to have their own Person Pensions into which Ryanair may have contributed? In which case he might not lose out that much.

A quick google search reveals that MOL isn't too keen on pension schemes:

Ryanair attacks Aer Lingus over pensions - www.travelweekly.co.uk

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “As a public company, Aer Lingus should be run for the benefit of its shareholders and not to repeatedly enrich its 3,000 staff.”

[Desk-pilot]

Thanks

Thanks SD for your honest replies. I have no desire whatsoever to propogate untruths but it does concern me the culture in which this company seems to operate and I think it's essential that all of us as professional pilots push back against the worst excesses of cost cutting in any company where we perceive it is a threat to safety.

At the end of the day we are the last link in the chain to prevent disaster and I sometimes feel that the bean counters in their ivory towers have a tendency to forget how important it is that we are well rested and well cared for if we are to perform to our best irrespective of what company we fly for. It seems strange that the rules around working hours etc are less restrictive in airlines than they are in freight haulage companies and railways...

[Tony the tiger]

Ryanair, an apology.

Bradley Manning apologises to 'Europes only ultra-low fuel carrier'

Bradley Manning apologises to Ryanair | The Mire


Having just read through all the letters between Ryanair and C4 Dispatches, surely the only people who should be sacked are Michael O Leary and the person (or persons) who handle their PR?
Very poorly handled in my opinion.

The worrying thing about all this is that the vast majority of pilots probably now feel they have no channels to raise their safety concerns without fear of repercussion. They've already said they're not comfortable with the official channels open to them,
Shameful.

[brownstar]

Safety alert pilot sacked

Here is an interesting link from Irish times

Aviation watchdog accuses Channel 4 of ?misguided attack? - The Irish Times - Tue, Aug 13, 2013