RYANAIR pilots, please share your thoughts/ experience
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 156
Likes: 1
From: London
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 528
Likes: 62
From: everywhere
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 72
Likes: 4
From: ..
Not as implausible as it sounds, if you knew a bit of the Ryanair management culture. There is ample literature of the threatening emails, most of which have made in on this forum, of the HR and flight ops comms to the pilot and cabin crew community.
Fine, you might just get a meeting with your base captain if you have no previous offenses, but they are not very tolerant from the second time around, if you don’t have a VERY solid justification.
Fine, you might just get a meeting with your base captain if you have no previous offenses, but they are not very tolerant from the second time around, if you don’t have a VERY solid justification.
Absolute nonsense. Guys and girls refuse discretion every single day of the week, because they can.
Do us all a favour and cut out the uniformed drivel.
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 124
Likes: 8
From: london
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 48
Likes: 51
From: France
There really is some total tosh written here, Ive returned to work after a three months away due being fatigued (medical revoked ) caused by many things, some external, some work related, possible bad virus that showed up in blood tests . The company could not have done more to help me the only requirement as normal to keep getting paid is the required sickness note from my GP one month at time. Not one phone call asking when I was going to return however as a normal curtesy I kept the base manger updated.
I have also never been aware of any captain being called to Dublin for not using discretion , Keeping Operations up to date is important. I did not use discretion last year and it was a non event, COMMUNICATION with others is important.
I have also never been aware of any captain being called to Dublin for not using discretion , Keeping Operations up to date is important. I did not use discretion last year and it was a non event, COMMUNICATION with others is important.
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 250
Likes: 14
From: UK
There really is some total tosh written here, Ive returned to work after a three months away due being fatigued (medical revoked ) caused by many things, some external, some work related, possible bad virus that showed up in blood tests . The company could not have done more to help me the only requirement as normal to keep getting paid is the required sickness note from my GP one month at time. Not one phone call asking when I was going to return however as a normal curtesy I kept the base manger updated.
I have also never been aware of any captain being called to Dublin for not using discretion , Keeping Operations up to date is important. I did not use discretion last year and it was a non event, COMMUNICATION with others is important.
I have also never been aware of any captain being called to Dublin for not using discretion , Keeping Operations up to date is important. I did not use discretion last year and it was a non event, COMMUNICATION with others is important.
Did my time and yeah the only benefit at RYR is the company will be around until the end of time. 5 on 4 off if you like that. For me it was total crap as if you did need to change it was impossible.
Calling you on days off at 9am when you only got in the door at 4am for overtime? Check
Asked to call in everyday to update them when I was sick? Check
Crew member had to go to Dublin for tea and biscuits for not flying cost index enough. Check
Mate of mine asked to be based at home or even in the country he’s from after line training to help with his Mrs who had just given birth. Sent to Poland for a year with no direct flights to where he’s from. Check
Ps Others on course after ours got bases he wanted.
Lovely 2 sector early duty. Landing and ops call to say yeah got 2 more sectors for you. 6 hours later trudge back to the car. Check
Many many other experiences with management others have told me about.
Training great. Aircraft great. Do a few years and move on.
Otherwise you get sucked into left seat blah blah and it’s harder to move on to a better airline (which is most others).
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 326
Likes: 7
From: World
And there is a lot of truths written here as well.
Did my time and yeah the only benefit at RYR is the company will be around until the end of time. 5 on 4 off if you like that. For me it was total crap as if you did need to change it was impossible.
Calling you on days off at 9am when you only got in the door at 4am for overtime? Check
Asked to call in everyday to update them when I was sick? Check
Crew member had to go to Dublin for tea and biscuits for not flying cost index enough. Check
Mate of mine asked to be based at home or even in the country he’s from after line training to help with his Mrs who had just given birth. Sent to Poland for a year with no direct flights to where he’s from. Check
Ps Others on course after ours got bases he wanted.
Lovely 2 sector early duty. Landing and ops call to say yeah got 2 more sectors for you. 6 hours later trudge back to the car. Check
Many many other experiences with management others have told me about.
Training great. Aircraft great. Do a few years and move on.
Otherwise you get sucked into left seat blah blah and it’s harder to move on to a better airline (which is most others).
Did my time and yeah the only benefit at RYR is the company will be around until the end of time. 5 on 4 off if you like that. For me it was total crap as if you did need to change it was impossible.
Calling you on days off at 9am when you only got in the door at 4am for overtime? Check
Asked to call in everyday to update them when I was sick? Check
Crew member had to go to Dublin for tea and biscuits for not flying cost index enough. Check
Mate of mine asked to be based at home or even in the country he’s from after line training to help with his Mrs who had just given birth. Sent to Poland for a year with no direct flights to where he’s from. Check
Ps Others on course after ours got bases he wanted.
Lovely 2 sector early duty. Landing and ops call to say yeah got 2 more sectors for you. 6 hours later trudge back to the car. Check
Many many other experiences with management others have told me about.
Training great. Aircraft great. Do a few years and move on.
Otherwise you get sucked into left seat blah blah and it’s harder to move on to a better airline (which is most others).
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 250
Likes: 14
From: UK
Not really sour grapes at all.
I had heard/read all the rumours and applied anyway. Surely they can’t be that bad.
No they can and worse.
Gave me motivation to move on sharpish though.
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 326
Likes: 7
From: World
Oh forgot to add the time I went to discretion twice on a five day block. Landing back at base at 4.30am on day 5 which is basically day 6 then. Asked for a day off back but laughed at.
Not really sour grapes at all.
I had heard/read all the rumours and applied anyway. Surely they can’t be that bad.
No they can and worse.
Gave me motivation to move on sharpish though.
Not really sour grapes at all.
I had heard/read all the rumours and applied anyway. Surely they can’t be that bad.
No they can and worse.
Gave me motivation to move on sharpish though.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 528
Likes: 62
From: everywhere
That's a very extreme example i know, but they do investigate the context of the report. In all the cases i know (which were genuine), they just got assigned extra time off. No drama.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 528
Likes: 62
From: everywhere
And there is a lot of truths written here as well.
Did my time and yeah the only benefit at RYR is the company will be around until the end of time. 5 on 4 off if you like that. For me it was total crap as if you did need to change it was impossible.
Calling you on days off at 9am when you only got in the door at 4am for overtime? Check
Asked to call in everyday to update them when I was sick? Check
Crew member had to go to Dublin for tea and biscuits for not flying cost index enough. Check
Mate of mine asked to be based at home or even in the country he’s from after line training to help with his Mrs who had just given birth. Sent to Poland for a year with no direct flights to where he’s from. Check
Ps Others on course after ours got bases he wanted.
Lovely 2 sector early duty. Landing and ops call to say yeah got 2 more sectors for you. 6 hours later trudge back to the car. Check
Many many other experiences with management others have told me about.
Training great. Aircraft great. Do a few years and move on.
Otherwise you get sucked into left seat blah blah and it’s harder to move on to a better airline (which is most others).
Did my time and yeah the only benefit at RYR is the company will be around until the end of time. 5 on 4 off if you like that. For me it was total crap as if you did need to change it was impossible.
Calling you on days off at 9am when you only got in the door at 4am for overtime? Check
Asked to call in everyday to update them when I was sick? Check
Crew member had to go to Dublin for tea and biscuits for not flying cost index enough. Check
Mate of mine asked to be based at home or even in the country he’s from after line training to help with his Mrs who had just given birth. Sent to Poland for a year with no direct flights to where he’s from. Check
Ps Others on course after ours got bases he wanted.
Lovely 2 sector early duty. Landing and ops call to say yeah got 2 more sectors for you. 6 hours later trudge back to the car. Check
Many many other experiences with management others have told me about.
Training great. Aircraft great. Do a few years and move on.
Otherwise you get sucked into left seat blah blah and it’s harder to move on to a better airline (which is most others).
2 years here, have had 2 calls asking to work a day off, both times at midday.
You submit your sickness via EFB, note what is wrong and tap the days you need off. If you get a doctors cert you email that too. Never been called nor had to call anyone about being sick, and believe me I've had my fair share of sick days.
Captains laugh about these automated Cost Index letters, one showed me over 50 on his ipad. Never seen nor heard of anyone going to Dublin over it. Maastricht assign you .79 and you'll get one. They'd need an entire department and supermarket load of biscuits if every letter was a meeting. Are you sure there is not more to this story??
The base at joining is rarely what you want I agree. I had to do 2 stints in bases I didn't want whilst on the list for what I wanted. I couldn't complain because they asked ib my interview was I happy to be based anywhere in the network.
The 5 days on can be tough, very tough. The 4 days off are nearly just recovery. Personally I think the company is overcrewed of late. Evidenced by the exponential increase in VTO availability.
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 182
Likes: 29
From: where I lay my hat
I'd agree with all of that except this - I've done pretty much every sort of commercial aviation, and more than any other type of operation, feel 100% on my days off, and even find 4 sector days not unduly knackering (a short commute back to your home and bed is key) - just bash out the sectors and forget about it. PS can you confirm it's 4am. I though it was 6am? Very rare I've been delayed past about 1am anyway (maybe once a month, and later would bump off the following days work anyway)- I've never had such a normal sleep pattern in my career.
There are other fringe improvements -IT is brilliant, both operationally and love the new ecrew features, plus paid parking seems to be creeping in, good day off payments, and other small stuff like that. I guess to bring in line with the competition, a better pension and health insurance wouldn't go amiss, and some sort of incentive plan, such as share options or profit share; which would automatically smooth the boom and bust of crewing levels when the industry waxes and wanes, as opposed to the delayed reaction to suddenly finding everyone has left when boom times come around.
There are other fringe improvements -IT is brilliant, both operationally and love the new ecrew features, plus paid parking seems to be creeping in, good day off payments, and other small stuff like that. I guess to bring in line with the competition, a better pension and health insurance wouldn't go amiss, and some sort of incentive plan, such as share options or profit share; which would automatically smooth the boom and bust of crewing levels when the industry waxes and wanes, as opposed to the delayed reaction to suddenly finding everyone has left when boom times come around.
Last edited by midnight cruiser; 18th August 2024 at 09:03.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 528
Likes: 62
From: everywhere
Just double checked, it is 4AM. The latest I've landed was 2:40AM.
Regarding the tiredness of it all, it's definitely person to person, but 5 days of waking up at 3:30AM going to fly 11hr+ days (which have become the standard at my base) has me on my knees by the time the days off come. I live very local to the airport and I only seem to have time to eat, shower, get ready for the next day and then sleep. VTO is making things more manageable though. Granted not every block is like this, sometimes some short 2 sector days and a few standbys can leave you feeling like you don't even have a job!
Regarding the tiredness of it all, it's definitely person to person, but 5 days of waking up at 3:30AM going to fly 11hr+ days (which have become the standard at my base) has me on my knees by the time the days off come. I live very local to the airport and I only seem to have time to eat, shower, get ready for the next day and then sleep. VTO is making things more manageable though. Granted not every block is like this, sometimes some short 2 sector days and a few standbys can leave you feeling like you don't even have a job!
Joined: Aug 2022
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 240
Likes: 152
From: Edinburgh
This sounds more like that Line Training salary... think it bumps up a bit when you move to SO, I don't have figures for Spain though, I'm UK based.