RYANAIR pilots, please share your thoughts/ experience
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Stansted
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
a797 - as you say your out of touch.
Im not the defending type or a cadet or looking for a Visa, if something is **** will happily state it. My main beef with Ryanair is I would like more roster options like Jet2 but that's it.
I stay within the rules, take the fuel I want, don't do days off as a rule, ignore witheld numbers on days off, go sick on average the same amount as anyone else, I don't get many roster changes, they don't mess with my money or my time off and Im in a base I want to be. Thus never been for any tea with or without buscuits.
Maybe Im just a simple bod. I miss some of the things on my sadly deceased old airline. Enjoyed the odd night stop and a laugh with the crew and other night stopping crews. Even enjoyed some freighter work I once did. Definitely enjoyed doing only 250 - 300hrs a year - ah those were the days. Definitely didn't enjoy massive duty days positioning in hire cars, taxis and planes and sitting around crew rooms for hours on end. Oh yeah dont miss wearing a hat....
I have no beef with any person or company.
Im not the defending type or a cadet or looking for a Visa, if something is **** will happily state it. My main beef with Ryanair is I would like more roster options like Jet2 but that's it.
I stay within the rules, take the fuel I want, don't do days off as a rule, ignore witheld numbers on days off, go sick on average the same amount as anyone else, I don't get many roster changes, they don't mess with my money or my time off and Im in a base I want to be. Thus never been for any tea with or without buscuits.
Maybe Im just a simple bod. I miss some of the things on my sadly deceased old airline. Enjoyed the odd night stop and a laugh with the crew and other night stopping crews. Even enjoyed some freighter work I once did. Definitely enjoyed doing only 250 - 300hrs a year - ah those were the days. Definitely didn't enjoy massive duty days positioning in hire cars, taxis and planes and sitting around crew rooms for hours on end. Oh yeah dont miss wearing a hat....
I have no beef with any person or company.
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Brexland
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To answer the original question, Ryanair is a stepping stone airline, they know this, which is why they treat people like ****, in fairness they don't treat their pax much better so what do you expect.
The greatest trick they ever pulled was to convince people that working a stable 5/4 roster flying 800+ hours a year was better than a random one flying 5 das a month you can control through a decent leave/DO system (which by the way Jet2 don't have just yet for fairness in posting but it's the best one I have seen in 3 airlines so far)...
By the way I appreciate the stable roster makes sense for some people's family life so I'm not having a jab the work/life balance of it has just never made sense to me
In short, if I needed a job I would go work for them tomorrow, beats stacking shelves, but if there was any other reasonable flying option I would take that first
The greatest trick they ever pulled was to convince people that working a stable 5/4 roster flying 800+ hours a year was better than a random one flying 5 das a month you can control through a decent leave/DO system (which by the way Jet2 don't have just yet for fairness in posting but it's the best one I have seen in 3 airlines so far)...
By the way I appreciate the stable roster makes sense for some people's family life so I'm not having a jab the work/life balance of it has just never made sense to me
In short, if I needed a job I would go work for them tomorrow, beats stacking shelves, but if there was any other reasonable flying option I would take that first
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Stansted
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WR if your working 5 days a month on a random roster on full time gig and wage. Where do I sign up?
Not joking by the way. Just jealous.....
Thats sound like you have hit the jackpot.
Not joking by the way. Just jealous.....
Thats sound like you have hit the jackpot.
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Earth
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry a797 isn’t that out of touch.
I moved on from them less than a year ago.
The only 2 positives at RYR are the 5/4 and quick command. Maybe a third they aren’t disappearing anytime soon.
As an FO I was on some Blue contact or something. Worth nothing. Tried to remortgage with the contract and the underwriters laughed us out of the bank. Even though it said permanent it also stated until 2025 with no guarantee of continuing. No guarantee on this that and the other.
3 bases I asked for. Didn’t get offered any. Sent to a base that was “struggling” yet I had so much standby. I did move pretty quickly but only because I had UK licence. Of my course and the 2 before not many got the base they asked for until RYR started making a massive effort to get people to where they wanted to be. I mean I even knew a guy at the base I wanted to be and he wanted to be at my base.
Went into discretion twice in 1 5 day block. More discretion in a month than in the previous 6 years of flying at another airline.
CC collapsed on sector 3. Had crewing calling us up screaming at us to GET THE PASSENGERS ON NOW. YOU NEED TO BE AIRBORNE ASAP. Didn’t even ask about the CC.
2 guys from my intake got properly shafted. 1 wanted time of for the birth of his child. He so wanted the job so accepted any base which wasn’t ideal. RYR said no.
Another guy was due a base transfer. He got another job a week before he was meant to transfer. Gave RYR 3 months notice. Day before transfer terminated his contract with immediate effect. Can’t remember the base he was at but apparently legal.
Heard of one guy who’s dad was terminal. All he asked for was to be as close as possible. 3 bases easily where he needed to be. Yes yes……. Denied. Sent to arse end of nowhere.
Captain I flew with had 5 long days. Having a chat with him he said he was expecting this week as 2 weeks previous they asked him to do 2 extra sectors which he said no to. He noticed his roster went blank that week and changed to those long days. He’s been at RYR for 25 years and said yeah that’s what they do.
Met a captain when I was positioning over to do a SIM. Thought he might have been my SIM partner. “No I got to go to Dublin because I haven’t been flying cost index”
I could go on and on.
Like I said 5/4 is very good. Fast command. That’s it in my books.
I moved on from them less than a year ago.
The only 2 positives at RYR are the 5/4 and quick command. Maybe a third they aren’t disappearing anytime soon.
As an FO I was on some Blue contact or something. Worth nothing. Tried to remortgage with the contract and the underwriters laughed us out of the bank. Even though it said permanent it also stated until 2025 with no guarantee of continuing. No guarantee on this that and the other.
3 bases I asked for. Didn’t get offered any. Sent to a base that was “struggling” yet I had so much standby. I did move pretty quickly but only because I had UK licence. Of my course and the 2 before not many got the base they asked for until RYR started making a massive effort to get people to where they wanted to be. I mean I even knew a guy at the base I wanted to be and he wanted to be at my base.
Went into discretion twice in 1 5 day block. More discretion in a month than in the previous 6 years of flying at another airline.
CC collapsed on sector 3. Had crewing calling us up screaming at us to GET THE PASSENGERS ON NOW. YOU NEED TO BE AIRBORNE ASAP. Didn’t even ask about the CC.
2 guys from my intake got properly shafted. 1 wanted time of for the birth of his child. He so wanted the job so accepted any base which wasn’t ideal. RYR said no.
Another guy was due a base transfer. He got another job a week before he was meant to transfer. Gave RYR 3 months notice. Day before transfer terminated his contract with immediate effect. Can’t remember the base he was at but apparently legal.
Heard of one guy who’s dad was terminal. All he asked for was to be as close as possible. 3 bases easily where he needed to be. Yes yes……. Denied. Sent to arse end of nowhere.
Captain I flew with had 5 long days. Having a chat with him he said he was expecting this week as 2 weeks previous they asked him to do 2 extra sectors which he said no to. He noticed his roster went blank that week and changed to those long days. He’s been at RYR for 25 years and said yeah that’s what they do.
Met a captain when I was positioning over to do a SIM. Thought he might have been my SIM partner. “No I got to go to Dublin because I haven’t been flying cost index”
I could go on and on.
Like I said 5/4 is very good. Fast command. That’s it in my books.
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Brexland
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry a797 isn’t that out of touch.
I moved on from them less than a year ago.
The only 2 positives at RYR are the 5/4 and quick command. Maybe a third they aren’t disappearing anytime soon.
As an FO I was on some Blue contact or something. Worth nothing. Tried to remortgage with the contract and the underwriters laughed us out of the bank. Even though it said permanent it also stated until 2025 with no guarantee of continuing. No guarantee on this that and the other.
3 bases I asked for. Didn’t get offered any. Sent to a base that was “struggling” yet I had so much standby. I did move pretty quickly but only because I had UK licence. Of my course and the 2 before not many got the base they asked for until RYR started making a massive effort to get people to where they wanted to be. I mean I even knew a guy at the base I wanted to be and he wanted to be at my base.
Went into discretion twice in 1 5 day block. More discretion in a month than in the previous 6 years of flying at another airline.
CC collapsed on sector 3. Had crewing calling us up screaming at us to GET THE PASSENGERS ON NOW. YOU NEED TO BE AIRBORNE ASAP. Didn’t even ask about the CC.
2 guys from my intake got properly shafted. 1 wanted time of for the birth of his child. He so wanted the job so accepted any base which wasn’t ideal. RYR said no.
Another guy was due a base transfer. He got another job a week before he was meant to transfer. Gave RYR 3 months notice. Day before transfer terminated his contract with immediate effect. Can’t remember the base he was at but apparently legal.
Heard of one guy who’s dad was terminal. All he asked for was to be as close as possible. 3 bases easily where he needed to be. Yes yes……. Denied. Sent to arse end of nowhere.
Captain I flew with had 5 long days. Having a chat with him he said he was expecting this week as 2 weeks previous they asked him to do 2 extra sectors which he said no to. He noticed his roster went blank that week and changed to those long days. He’s been at RYR for 25 years and said yeah that’s what they do.
Met a captain when I was positioning over to do a SIM. Thought he might have been my SIM partner. “No I got to go to Dublin because I haven’t been flying cost index”
I could go on and on.
Like I said 5/4 is very good. Fast command. That’s it in my books.
I moved on from them less than a year ago.
The only 2 positives at RYR are the 5/4 and quick command. Maybe a third they aren’t disappearing anytime soon.
As an FO I was on some Blue contact or something. Worth nothing. Tried to remortgage with the contract and the underwriters laughed us out of the bank. Even though it said permanent it also stated until 2025 with no guarantee of continuing. No guarantee on this that and the other.
3 bases I asked for. Didn’t get offered any. Sent to a base that was “struggling” yet I had so much standby. I did move pretty quickly but only because I had UK licence. Of my course and the 2 before not many got the base they asked for until RYR started making a massive effort to get people to where they wanted to be. I mean I even knew a guy at the base I wanted to be and he wanted to be at my base.
Went into discretion twice in 1 5 day block. More discretion in a month than in the previous 6 years of flying at another airline.
CC collapsed on sector 3. Had crewing calling us up screaming at us to GET THE PASSENGERS ON NOW. YOU NEED TO BE AIRBORNE ASAP. Didn’t even ask about the CC.
2 guys from my intake got properly shafted. 1 wanted time of for the birth of his child. He so wanted the job so accepted any base which wasn’t ideal. RYR said no.
Another guy was due a base transfer. He got another job a week before he was meant to transfer. Gave RYR 3 months notice. Day before transfer terminated his contract with immediate effect. Can’t remember the base he was at but apparently legal.
Heard of one guy who’s dad was terminal. All he asked for was to be as close as possible. 3 bases easily where he needed to be. Yes yes……. Denied. Sent to arse end of nowhere.
Captain I flew with had 5 long days. Having a chat with him he said he was expecting this week as 2 weeks previous they asked him to do 2 extra sectors which he said no to. He noticed his roster went blank that week and changed to those long days. He’s been at RYR for 25 years and said yeah that’s what they do.
Met a captain when I was positioning over to do a SIM. Thought he might have been my SIM partner. “No I got to go to Dublin because I haven’t been flying cost index”
I could go on and on.
Like I said 5/4 is very good. Fast command. That’s it in my books.
And Mach Number, your right, i did, but sadly age is catching up to the equipment and i am having to move onto something new, but what a time it's been!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Between a rock and a hard place
Posts: 1,267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I left almost 10 years ago. When I read AIMINGHIGH's post it's all coming back to me. They were not a pleasant lot to work for. Nice colleagues though, mostly.
Gender Faculty Specialist
Coming to BA. Were you at BA or not? And if you were how did you get in without applying?
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Between 0 and 41000 ft
Age: 35
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow, I knew It was bad but that is eye opening, thanks for posting, we need more of this stuff, in all airlines by the way not just about RYR.
And Mach Number, your right, i did, but sadly age is catching up to the equipment and i am having to move onto something new, but what a time it's been!
And Mach Number, your right, i did, but sadly age is catching up to the equipment and i am having to move onto something new, but what a time it's been!
So I guess it depends to who you're talking to, some people succumb more to pressure than others. Not saying that it is this case but there are some people that piss in the mop bucket a lot. Most of them are the ones that have experiences like this. The rest, I guess they are just unlucky. It's not the perfect airline, and it will never be. But it is much better than what is was 10 years ago. And I'm sure other airlines are better in certain stuff but also not so good as RYR in other aspects. Horses for courses.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: South Hemisphere
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I've been there for 8 and half years and I cannot relate to any of this. I know where I stand so should everyone else, you might not know your OMA by heart but you should know where to look for info. If OPS ever shout to me, I just tell them to get some composure and call me back again, then I hang up. I don't do any days off. I never been in Dublin for not being flexible nor for not flying on cost index from time to time. Yes, I had to wait for my base. Yes, I had to wait for my contract. Yes, I also did fly with some twats and had some unpleasant conversations with some FOPS managers. Did I cry until then? No.
So I guess it depends to who you're talking to, some people succumb more to pressure than others. Not saying that it is this case but there are some people that piss in the mop bucket a lot. Most of them are the ones that have experiences like this. The rest, I guess they are just unlucky. It's not the perfect airline, and it will never be. But it is much better than what is was 10 years ago. And I'm sure other airlines are better in certain stuff but also not so good as RYR in other aspects. Horses for courses.
So I guess it depends to who you're talking to, some people succumb more to pressure than others. Not saying that it is this case but there are some people that piss in the mop bucket a lot. Most of them are the ones that have experiences like this. The rest, I guess they are just unlucky. It's not the perfect airline, and it will never be. But it is much better than what is was 10 years ago. And I'm sure other airlines are better in certain stuff but also not so good as RYR in other aspects. Horses for courses.
thanks mate
Sorry to bother, but would you mind to share your experience a little bit deeper? The really bad and good stuff?
only ir you want to, do course
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Last time I stood my ground, the fact it was against the OM A was ignored and I got a phone call from a management pilot which focused on why I was refusing to cooperate with delivering the operation.
I know I am not the only FO who has had this experience. One guy showed me screenshots where he had been called at 4:50AM for a 7AM standby. There was also a post recently on the intranet querying all the texts in the middle of the night that seem to disturb quite a lot of people. Put it on silent sounds simple but not everyone can put their phone on silent. Some have urgent calls they need to be able to receive etc.
I know I am not the only FO who has had this experience. One guy showed me screenshots where he had been called at 4:50AM for a 7AM standby. There was also a post recently on the intranet querying all the texts in the middle of the night that seem to disturb quite a lot of people. Put it on silent sounds simple but not everyone can put their phone on silent. Some have urgent calls they need to be able to receive etc.
Get yourself a Batphone then. Have had one for 5 years and it's worked like a dream.
Personal number is private for a reason. Not for your employer to contact you on.
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: AUS
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Asking folks for more detail on their already descriptive posts is starting to smell like lazy journalism.
Time for mods to close this thread.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: South Hemisphere
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
After reading this thread I’m sure you’ve obtained enough information now. Don’t you think? It’s not very difficult to weigh up the options for or against working for FR.
Asking folks for more detail on their already descriptive posts is starting to smell like lazy journalism.
Time for mods to close this thread.
Asking folks for more detail on their already descriptive posts is starting to smell like lazy journalism.
Time for mods to close this thread.
lazy journalism?
dude, what world do you live in?
Isn’t that too much paranoia for a simple thread?
although some good content have been shared here, I wouldn’t consider a handful of them out of thousands of fellow pilots as “enough” to clearly choose what path to take, as this directly affects my career and my family
So I respectfully ask you to either participate the thread with what is the main objective, not just for me but Also for those who may follow,
Or you can just Stay away,
cheers
"Met a captain when I was positioning over to do a SIM. Thought he might have been my SIM partner. “No I got to go to Dublin because I haven’t been flying cost index”
but if 2% of FR pilots flew in excess of Cost Index, then that's 50 interviews each month if it was 10% then that's 250, I'm sure their management have better things to do.
but if 2% of FR pilots flew in excess of Cost Index, then that's 50 interviews each month if it was 10% then that's 250, I'm sure their management have better things to do.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: the land of chocolate
Posts: 439
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When it comes to getting time off for the birth of your child. If there's any doubt about getting the time off, you just call in sick. It is as easy as that.
Once you ask for time off, you kind off wipe that option off the table as it would look too suspect.
Once you ask for time off, you kind off wipe that option off the table as it would look too suspect.
in the UK you are entitled to two weeks paid paternity leave.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, but it cannot be taken before the child is born. This is about actually being there for the birth.
My company positioned me home early from a night in Europe when it like my wife might be going into labour, all sorted at 1am and nothing but support given. Baby didn’t come but that wasn’t a problem. No need to call in sick if it looks like baby might be imminent, they don’t want you flying anyway.
My company positioned me home early from a night in Europe when it like my wife might be going into labour, all sorted at 1am and nothing but support given. Baby didn’t come but that wasn’t a problem. No need to call in sick if it looks like baby might be imminent, they don’t want you flying anyway.
Yes, but it cannot be taken before the child is born. This is about actually being there for the birth.
My company positioned me home early from a night in Europe when it like my wife might be going into labour, all sorted at 1am and nothing but support given. Baby didn’t come but that wasn’t a problem. No need to call in sick if it looks like baby might be imminent, they don’t want you flying anyway.
My company positioned me home early from a night in Europe when it like my wife might be going into labour, all sorted at 1am and nothing but support given. Baby didn’t come but that wasn’t a problem. No need to call in sick if it looks like baby might be imminent, they don’t want you flying anyway.
Was chatting to a couple of my European colleagues over the weekend. Thought I should add to this thread. There appears to be moves by FR to place airframes in the UK from Europe, staffed by zero hour paid crew. FR will pay a small fee or pay for hotel. It was alleged that this is a feasibility study, well it's practical if it occurs. Was muted that there may be a planning scenario of using European zero hours aircrew in UK while reducing salaried UK staff. This would be a very unsettling move if it occurred. Not aware of any movements in this direction but admit that I am not exactly in a loop to know. It may be rubbish but still it's out there if that be the case.
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: everywhere
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It would be difficult for them to do that because the vast majority of the European zero hour crews don't have the right to work in the UK. I presume you're referring to Buzz crew because the only other zero hour pilots are contractors (fixed and floaters), and they are not cheap for the company.
Also, the buzz crews aren't able to operate the G or EI reg aircraft whilst simultaneously operating SP reg. There's a sim between each time they transfer reg. The floating guys can operate EI reg but again, they are very expensive and recently got a payrise so it won't serve the alleged intended purpose.
Also, the buzz crews aren't able to operate the G or EI reg aircraft whilst simultaneously operating SP reg. There's a sim between each time they transfer reg. The floating guys can operate EI reg but again, they are very expensive and recently got a payrise so it won't serve the alleged intended purpose.