News
Pilots wanted | FairPlane UK / 22.09.2017
125 new pilots will be hired by Ryanair in an effort to offset disruption caused by mass flight cancellations.
This is the pledge that has been made by Ryanair’s under-fire chief executive Michael O’Leary at the airline’s annual general meeting in Dublin.
O’Leary referred to the recently announced cancellations as being the result of “significant management failure” and something that would cost the airline around £22 million.
The next six weeks will see over 2,000 flights grounded. 300,000 passengers will be directly affected by the cancellations.
Pilots criticised
Following initial suggestions that the cancellations came about as the result of a mix up caused by a change in the way staff holidays were to be administered, reports are now emerging that Ryanair pilots from 30 bases across Europe were preparing to work to rule as part of a protest demanding better working conditions.
The Times newspaper has reported that O’Leary accused pilots of being “full of their own self-importance” and suggested that; “If there are fatigue issues among pilots in short-haul flying, it’s never as a result of flying.”
The British Airline Pilots Association have now entered the debate and is critical of Ryanair’s statement that; “To suggest that pilot fatigue in short-haul operations can only occur because of the pilot’s activities outside of work is, in our view, wrong.”
BAPA have stated that: “Pilots are legally-bound to report their fatigue as it can have dangerous effects on pilot performance. Ryanair appears to be telling its pilots that if they report, their attitude will be that it’s the pilot’s own fault. This is not a good way to engender an open reporting culture.”
