Battle intensifies between Ryanair and ‘pilot’ group
Tensions are mounting between Ryanair’s management and the Ryanair Pilot Group, which claims to represent the airline’s pilots across Europe.
Ryanair has accused the group of "telling lies" and "inventing bogus safety petitions" and said RPG represents Europe’s pilot unions, not Ryanair pilots.
The airline made a statement on Friday after RPG issued an earlier statement calling for action over threats of dismissal for Ryanair pilots if they voice their concerns over safety.
"The RPG believes that no professional pilot can operate satisfactorily and safely in an environment where such threats are considered either necessary or appropriate," said RPG.
"Free reporting to any agency open to receive safety reports from other pilots must be protected and available for use by Ryanair pilots too – for obvious reasons."
Insisting that the group representatives are Ryanair pilots, it said: "Their identity is known to their legal advisor, but they remain anonymous for obvious reasons."
But Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said Ryanair will not allow safety to be mixed up with industrial relations.
"We will not allow our 29-year safety record to be questioned in any way by Europe’s pilot unions telling lies or inventing bogus safety petitions," he said.
"There are established confidential reporting structures available to all Ryanair pilots if they have genuine safety concerns, and we expect them to use those confidential reporting mechanisms and not confuse safety with the failed agenda of Europe’s pilot unions.
"There are, of course, no grounds for such concerns in Ryanair as evidenced by the recent joint statement of the Irish and Spanish safety authorities, who have confirmed that "Ryanair’s safety is on a par with the safest airlines in Europe"."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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