[TimFitzgeraldTC]

If I were a Ryanair pilot on a zero hours contract then I’d simply refuse to fly for 2 weeks (in conjunction with all the pilots on the same contract). This way 1000’s of flights would be cancelled, Ryanair would have to pay huge compensation under the EU ruling (261?) and they’d be forced to listen to there pilots and change conditions for them. Simple really. Obviously Ryanair could fire them all but where are they going to hire 1800 pilots of all of a sudden.

[Bucksnet]

Wildcat strike action is illegal, but if they’re on zero hours contracts then maybe that doesn’t apply.

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Hi Bucksnet

I don’t think it can be illegal to not work when you have a zero hours contract. Without seeing the ins and outs of them, and not being a lawyer I don’t know precisely. Maybe another forum member could enlighten us?

[andystock]

Were any of us actually in anyway surprissed by Monday nights program at all!

[AnthonyDunn]

@ andystock – 13/08/2013 15:07 GMT

Frankly no.

What became clear to me was that after Mother Teresa, O’Blarney is the most saintly man ever to have walked this planet, that everything he says just has to be true and that there cannot conceivably be one iota of truth or substance to any of the dastardly allegations being made by trades unionist trouble-makers intent only on besmirching the Saintly Ones’ reputation for straight-talking and honest-dealing by all of his employees. Oh, and I nearly forgot to add that as O’Blarney can clearly walk on water, why the need to run an airline?

[Bath_VIP]

Whenever this kind of program appears about Ryanair, they always publish the correspondence. You can find this on their website at http://www.ryanair.com/en/news/ryanair-releases-channel-4-dispatches-letters .

Highly entertaining and worth a read!

PS: Ryanair now intend to sue http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23686678

[Alkaseltzer]

“impeccable safety record'” said Times this week
Ryanair had a fire- not blamed for that.-but Air Accident Investigation found cabin crew had difficulty operating emergency exits because trained with doors not being “armed” i.e,. empty of chutes.Evacuation was completed in target time -no censure.
Have amended screen name to Alkaseltzer -intended
to complement VintageKrug

[Edski777]

It looks like Dispatch and Dutch Television were right about fears for dismissal of pilots by Ryanair.

A Dutch newspaper just reported that FR has fired “experienced pilot John Goss for disclosing information about the fuel instructions within Ryanair”. Ryanair will also sue the pilot for libel “as Ryanair will not accept that any employee will raise serious doubts about safety and safety procedures within Ryanair on national television, especially after signing a written stement to the contrary only 3 weeks ago”.

For those capable of reading Dutch newspapers: http://www.telegraaf.nl/dft/nieuws_dft/21812148/__Ryanair_ontslaat_kritische_piloot__.html

Is this an incident or will this be a long lasting thread?

[AnthonyDunn]

I read on the Budget Airlines Watch website

http://budgetairlinewatch.com/?p=1324

that Flyanscare had hired a new barrister who specialises in IP and defamation. It looks as if he has been told to go out and earn his salt.

[Bucksnet]

For those capable of using Google Translate: –

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraaf.nl%2Fdft%2Fnieuws_dft%2F21812148%2F__Ryanair_ontslaat_kritische_piloot__.html

[canucklad]

@ Bath_Vip..

Interesting link to their reposte…..like everything to do with Ryanscare all their transparent correspondance that isn’t aimed at relieving you of your hard earned cash….is normally long winded and full of gobdly gook!!

If the FR pilots are so unhappy why don’t they sign themselves off with stress and fatigue….

And I wonder if most FR pilots are just there short term , building their hours up / type rating themselves before moving on to more reputable employers…

@ Alkaseltzer….My experiance of FR CC is actually quite good from an engaging customer service ….would I trust any of their eastern european beauties to manage a crisis situation……..

Ehhhhm ….No…..So Luckily O’ Dreary is right about the 29 year safety record…… and fingers crossed he hasn’t tempted fate….

I mentioned Disaster in the Sky on another topic…interestingly, they mentioned a fatal crash in the US involving a commuter airline(branded as AA eagle) were the blame was put on the pilots after they suffered from fatigue……due to sleeping in crew rooms, working long hours with the legally permitted minumum layover & commuting long distances before flying …..
Although the pilots took the brunt of the blame, there was definitely a link to the companies pushing human endurance to the limit !!

Sound FRamiliar ?

[SimonAlbury]

RyanAir has now sacked one of the pilots. NB Ahead of transmission ITV threatened to sue Channel 4 over a Dispatches, a couple of weeks ago, but after transmission ITV backed down. I expect to see the same behaviour from RyanAir. This programme will have been well lawyered.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/aug/15/ryanair-sacks-pilot-channel-4-dispatches

[BigDog.]

On one side it is reasonable that there is an attempt to performance manage Pilots. Every other profession has performance management. It is bemusing that some companies appear to merely let their FOs join the queue and as long as they don’t screw up or fail their annual then in due course they’ll become even higher paid captains.

One hopes BA pilots get a form of performance management which would include 360 degree feedback and would engender a better team spirit. Disconnects due to poor/arrogant leadership can exacerbate situations as apparently happened with the BM Kegworth Air disaster.

BA should also consider similar zero hour contracts to reduce costs as airline pilots are fairly standard nowadays working behind the scene and are not the face of BA interacting with BA customers.

On the other side the bullying leadership style of vertically challenged Irish CEOs within the Airline industry is neither a role model or conducive to safety or service.

[Alkaseltzer]

Canucklad – I was not criticising cabin crew at all & indeed they managed very well despite the handicap….. but surely an ‘impeccable safety record” would include no shortcuts in evacuation training?

…..or is it OK to be unsafe if nothing bad happens as a result?

[LuganoPirate]

Could John Goss have a counterclaim in the form of unfair dismissal against Ryanair? I’d think so and perhaps he could even claim protection as a Whistleblower.

I also wonder what other secrets he holds and has not told – yet?

[Author]

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