Exactly!! Well said. And that applies to the pilots who are going to strike this Saturday at TCX

The answer is to NOT leave, rather to stay and change things for the better. Leaving is just another form of defeat, of appeasement. However much you give in terms of pay and conditions people like O'Leary will always want more.

Ryanair pilots: get organised.

Pilots in Dublin are getting a 10,000€ payrise? What about my base 😬

"Ryanair plans to make pilots change holidays" reports the BBC

Ryanair plans to make pilots change holidays - BBC News


"Mr O'Leary told the AGM that Ryanair was facing a "significant management failure".
He said pilots who had a four-week block of holidays coming up in the next few months because of rota changes would be told to take three weeks instead and have the other week in January.
He said the firm did not need pilots' agreement for the change.
Mr O'Leary said the cancellations had cost Ryanair about 25 million euros (£22m).
He accused unions of trying to give the company "a bloody nose" and said staff did not want union representation."

MOL doesn't seem very humble.

MOL is going to learn the hard way, the ball is in pilots camp

Seems that the obvious solution of pis$ing people off more was missed by all of us!

Ryanair have just announce that they are allowing a vote to strike by pilots for the first time in their history. They are charging £10 for each ballot paper.

They have just announced at the AGN that they intend to hire 150 new pilots in the next two weeks.

The basic RYR deal to employees and contractors is the same as their offer to passengers. But for any reason you don't fulfil your part you get nothing or RYR decide for any reason they don't like you, you also you get nothing. There is no certainty but things generally work out. But that's the deal, take it or leave it. It will suit many people and if it suits you, that's fine.

But any agreement offered by RYR has no heart or compassion in it. There are no favours requested and none offered. So quite why any pilot, contractor or supplier should do RYR any favours beats me. MOL has moaned and complained about greedy pilots for years and reduced had everything his own way. He now needs to call in a few favours but has none owing. This is demonstrated by its constant press briefings. This morning the BBC told us that pilot unions were holding out for better terms and conditions which is very few have taken up RYR's "generous bonus package". I never realised RYR were unionised. I also wonder how many pilots have enough hours left to actually work, even if they wanted to. Again, another bit of negative spin against "greedy pilots".

This is a company with no goodwill in fact it has the complete opposite; I'm sure there are many people who would love to stick the boot in and it falls, give it a good kicking as well. Remember, kick RYR as hard as they will kick you.

Heard on the radio Ryanair pilots are having meetings across the bases to collectively negotiate t&c’s. Well done to you all, this can be a turning point in European aviation for pilots as a profession and you have the full support of your colleagues in every other airline (for what it’s worth).

Good luck, your holding all the cards. I really hope you get the renumeration that you deserve as probably the hardest working pilots in the world.

Think on these words that were written nearly 70 years ago, far more eloquent a reply to your unwise post than I could write.

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me"

Martin Niemöller † 6. März 1984

The very best of luck to you all at RYR for trying to improve your conditions. And for TCX this weekend, keep up the good work.

Words can't describe how much these managers are despised... Yet they seem in such denial! Hilarious.

Trying to add some context, I think we should remember that Ryanair did allow the pilot market continue during the 'dark years'. It would be interesting to see how many pilots got their first jet job because of MOL, despite the global downturn. Where he has gone wrong is in failing to recognise that the pilot market is now buoyant and people will simply shop around for the best deal, for them. Ironically, his shortage of pilots is partly due to them adopting the same hard-nosed, self-orientated mentality that has been successful for Ryanair to date. The Branson "look after your staff" quote is so apt.

Personally, I hope that this is turned into a positive for all.

I completely see where you're coming from, but it's important to also remember that they didn't take any pilots on as a favour. They did it to exploit the large numbers of pilots available and their willingness to accept less favourable terms to get a job. There is NOTHING charitable about any of it.

So the point you're making is what? People shouldn't be able to fight for the terms and conditions they think they're worth? I'm going to go with cretin, but could just as easily be troll.

MOL talks about a "significant management failure" which is true (if not possibly an understatement), but this problem has not arisen at the turn of a switch, it must have been building for some time. So who was it that knew about it and more importantly why wasn't preventive action identified and taken sooner.

I would imagine that heads will roll in the management team, if they haven't already. I can't help believe that some time ago someone had all the information to predict this and either prevent it, or at least minimise it. I suspect that someone didn't speak up for fear of delivering a message that they knew would not want to be heard, probably says a lot about the management culture.

.. and indeed you could argue that a large part of their (early) business model came about by recognising there was a mismatch between supply and demand of pilots in the market and exploiting that.

Now, of course, the boot is on the other foot.

Ryanair pilots... I'm not one of you, I fly for another loco, but if ever you had the opportunity to demand change, better working conditions and union representation this is it! Don't be bought off. Good luck !