RYANAIR CLARIFIES FALSE AND INACCURATE COVERAGE

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Ryanair News
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News Release
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09.02.07
RYANAIR CLARIFIES FALSE AND INACCURATE COVERAGE OF ITS OPERATING AND SAFETY PROCEDURES

Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline today (9th Feb) responded to a number of false and inaccurate reports in the media based on the recent publication of an investigation into a landing at Cork Airport on 4th June last year.

1. The report on this incident did not criticise or find fault with Ryanair. The cause of the incident was properly identified as the pilot “not adhering to the operators explicit standard operating practices in the two approaches”.

2. The Board of Ryanair, following this incident, issued a memo to all Ryanair pilots on 25th Sept 2006 re-stating Ryanair’s policy that any aircraft which is not at the correct height and speed on approach to an airport, must perform a “go-around”. This policy prioritises the safety first option, regardless of schedules, arrival times or turnaround times. The memo also re-stated Ryanair’s “no blame” policy for “go-arounds”, which assures every pilot that they will not be blamed for making a “go-around”.

3. The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (which is recognised only by Aer Lingus in Ireland) claimed that this incident in Cork was linked to the pressure pilots are under. This claim is false. Ryanair operates the same 25 minute turnarounds as almost every other low fares airline in Europe. This is longer than the 20 minute turnarounds operated by many US low fares airlines. The AAIU report confirms that the cause of the Cork incident was the pilot’s failure to apply Ryanair’s standard operating procedures, and had nothing whatsoever to do with turnaround times.

4. BALPA, the British Airways pilot union, falsely claim that “new computerised work rotas were exploiting every minute of pilots availability which intensified rosters”. This claim is false. Ryanair’s rosters are designed manually, and not by computerised work rotas. Ryanair’s rosters have also been examined and verified as “exceeding best industry practice” by independent safety experts from NASA in the US and former Heads of Safety of the UK CAA and the German LBA.

5. Pilot unions also suggested that Ryanair’s memo “would force the problem underground”. This is another false claim, since Ryanair’s computerised inflight data monitoring system provides the airline with details of the speed and altitude of every aircraft during every flight. It is Ryanair’s unique ability to identify these errors which has given rise to these reports.

Ryanair has invested heavily in brand new aircraft and simulator training centres to ensure that all our flights operate to the highest operating and safety standards. On four occasions out of the 500,000 flights performed by Ryanair over the past two years, individual pilots have failed to adhere to these rigorous safety and operating procedures. Ryanair will continue to instruct its pilots that on these rare occasions they must perform the safety first “go-around” procedure which prioritises safety, absolves pilots from all blame, and ensures that no Ryanair aircraft will attempt an unsafe landing.

Ryanair will not allow this policy, which prioritises safety, to be fudged in any way by false claims from pilot unions who wish to cover up these incidents by blaming them on irrelevant and unconnected issues such as flight punctuality or turnaround times. As Ryanair’s memo to its pilots makes clear, safety is its No.1 priority, and when in doubt every pilot should perform a “go-around” and ignore punctuality or turnaround times.

The text of the Board of Ryanair’s Memorandum to Pilots, dated 25th September 2006 is attached below for information.

MEMORANDUM FROM THE BOARD TO PILOTS
25th September 2006

The Board of Directors of Ryanair has considered our recent experience in the area of high energy approach incidents over the past two years and has now adopted a new disciplinary procedure which will apply from today’s date as follows:-

From 25th September 2006, any event involving any of our aircraft passing the 500 foot gate incorrectly configured or at excessive speed, which triggers the GPWS land warning – and which does not perform a “go-around” – will automatically lead to both crew members being demoted in the case of their first transgression of this policy. In the event of a second transgression of this policy, the relevant crew member will be automatically dismissed. This policy will not apply in exceptional circumstances; however it will be up to the crew members involved to persuade the Board as to the nature of these exceptional circumstances.

I trust that you will all join me to ensure that we never ever have cause to invoke this new policy. If you are in any doubt, default to the safer option and perform a “go-around”. As you all know, we operate a “no blame” policy for “go-arounds”. This policy is clearly communicated and I would re-emphasise to each and every one of you that your safety and the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft will always be our number one priority.