Ryanair plan to sue Channel 4 over Dispatches broadcast

RYANAIR’S CEO Michael O’Leary has completely refuted concerns about the airline’s fuel policy made by some pilots on a Channel 4 programme last night.


Last night’s Channel 4 'Secrets from the Cockpit' documentary spoke to four pilots with over 40 years flying experience with Ryanair between them – three of whom asked to remain unnamed. They raised concerns about the company’s fuel policy.

But Mr O’Leary has insisted that there are “no safety concerns in Ryanair” and plans to take action against the station for the broadcast. He said that the safety of the airline has been supported by an independent regulator, the Irish Aviation Authority.

“The IAA gave a statement to Channel 4 which the channel failed to broadcast confirming that Ryanair’s safety is on a par with the safest airlines in Europe,” he said.

“The IAA also confirmed in a written statement that they have no concerns over Ryanair’s fuel policy which follows exactly the same EU guidelines as every other EU airline.”

Last night’s programme detailed three incidents in which Ryanair pilots had to call in emergency alerts  because they were low on fuel. The airline has said that these incidents occurred due to bad weather but the aircraft fully complied with EU regulations in each instance.

“The fuel emergency procedure exists purely for unusual but not abnormal circumstances such as this,” said Mr O Leary, who added that this occurred in only three aircraft of 1.2 million flown over the last two years.

The airline states that it has suffered no such emergency since.

Speaking on Newstalk, O’Leary also criticised a Spanish report which said that Ryanair, although complying with the minimum legal fuel requirements, tends to minimise the amount of fuel with which its aeroplanes operate and leaves none for contingencies below the legal minimums.

http://www.ryanair.com/en/news/ryanair-releases-channel-4-dispatches-letters

Ryanair rejected the false and defamatory claims made by the Channel 4 Dispatches programme which wrongly impugn and smear Ryanair’s outstanding 29 year safety record based on nothing more than anonymous hearsay claims made by individuals whose identity was concealed, and/or by representatives of pilot unions of Ryanair’s competitor airlines masquerading as a Non Ryanair Pilot Group.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/aviation-watchdog-accuses-channel-4-of-misguided-attack-1.1492773

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has accused Channel 4 of once again engaging in a “misguided attack” on its regulation of Ryanair.
The IAA said last night’s Dispatches programme was “based upon false and misleading information” which could undermine the confidence of air passengers.
.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/ryanair-fires-dispatches-pilot-over-2170091

Ryanair has fired one of its top pilots after he appeared on a Channel 4 documentary about safety regulations.
Captain John Goss was sacked on Wednesday for "gross misconduct", as Michael O'Leary's company also looks to issue legal proceedings against him.
Ryanair outlined its reasons for firing Captain Goss in a memo circulated to employees on Wednesday and urged pilots not to "confuse industrial relations issues with safety" and that safety itself remains its "number one priority".

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/15/ryanair-safety-sacking-idUSL6N0GG0WX20130815?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews&rpc=401

Ryanair said it had fired veteran pilot John Goss for his "defamatory contributions" in a documentary about the airline's safety culture broadcast this week on Britain's Channel 4.

"We will not allow a Ryanair employee to defame our safety on national television just three weeks after he confirmed in writing to Ryanair that he had no concerns with safety," Ryanair said.

Ryanair, which says its safety record is on a par with the safest airlines in Europe, said it had instructed its lawyers to issue legal proceedings against Goss.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/ryanair-initiates-defamation-case-against-pilot-1.1502351

Ryanair today began the action against Captain John Goss in the High Court in Dublin, lawyer Paul Tweed of Johnson solicitors said in a statement.

In a statement, Mr Tweed said Ryanair issued the proceedings following what it called “ serious defamatory comments” by Capt Goss during the broadcast, which it said “impugned the integrity of the Irish aviation safety agencies and by extension questioned Ryanair’s industry-leading safety record”.

Mr Tweed said the pilot had failed to provide Ryanair with “any acceptable explanation” as to why he appeared on the programme “just weeks after he confirmed in writing (July 10th) that he had no concerns regarding Ryanair’s safety.”

The legal firm had been instructed to “vigorously pursue” the action with a view to “obtaining total vindication” from the pilot.