Out-of-court settlement with the Daily Mail

http://buyingbusinesstravel.com/news/1221367-ryanair-settles-legal-case-against-daily-mail

Ryanair has agreed an out-of-court settlement with the publisher of the Daily Mail. Ryanair took legal action against the publisher after the Daily Mail ran articles based on Channel 4's Dispatches programme which made claims about the airline’s safety record. Ryanair is continuing to sue Channel 4 for defamation.

The statement read out by the publisher acknowledged that three Ryanair aircraft which made emergency landings at Valencia had “complied with EU safety rules”.
“We accept that the official report produced by the Irish safety agencies confirmed that all three aircraft took on extra fuel, all three aircraft flew for over one hour more than planned (due to adverse weather and diversions from Madrid to Valencia). All three aircraft fully complied with EU safety rules when landing safely in Valencia.,” said Associated Newspapers in the statement to the court.

Ryanair’s chief pilot Ray Conway said: “I am very satisfied with the comprehensive vindication and acknowledgement of Ryanair’s 29-year safety record by the Daily Mail.
“Safety has been, and will always be, the absolute priority for Ryanair, as demonstrated by our 29-year industry leading record, and by the Irish Aviation Authority’s recent confirmation that Ryanair’s safety “is on a par with the safest airlines in Europe”.”

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has said the safety record of his budget airline has been vindicated.

Mr O'Leary said: " Any airline can only survive on reputation of safety.
"It is one of the safest industries generally and as the Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed Ryanair's safety is on a par with the safest airlines in Europe - not the average but with the safest.

"Generally speaking we are content to allow the media or anybody else to make whatever claims they want but not inaccurate claims about our safety.
"We must and will continue to vigorously defend our outstanding safety record."

The terms of the settlement with Associated Newspapers which owns the Daily Mail were confidential and Mr O'Leary declined to disclose if any damages were awarded.

Read more :
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/oleary-defiant-after-legal-ruling-29574112.html