[Article] Ryanair pilot resigns and two staff fired over seating incident

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/3654786?view=Eircomnet

Ryanair pilot resigns and two staff fired over seating incident
From:ireland.com
Saturday, 24th July, 2004

Ryanair has sacked two staff after flight crew permitted overcrowding on a flight from Girona in Spain to London's Stansted Airport last weekend.

A third staff member, the pilot of the plane, has resigned.

The dismissals came five days after off-duty Ryanair staff returning from a week's leave in Spain used the toilets at the rear of the aircraft for seating during the flight.

The incident, under investigation by the Irish Aviation Authority, is the first of its kind in Irish civil aviation.

Ryanair has been conducting an investigation since the matter came to light last Sunday. In a statement yesterday, a spokesman said: "This is the first such incident of staff travelling on an already full aircraft in the 20-year history of Ryanair."

It said the two off-duty cabin crew at the centre of the row knew the aircraft was full but still travelled "in breach of all Ryanair's boarding and operating procedures".

The airline said this had happened "with the knowledge and approval of the aircraft captain, who is a senior pilot of over 30 years' flying experience".

"As a result of the investigation, the captain has tendered his resignation from the airline with immediate effect," Ryanair said in its statement.

"The two cabin crew [who were both senior staff and therefore fully aware of our seating and boarding regulations\] have refused to resign and have been dismissed for gross misconduct."

It added that it was co-operating fully with the Irish Aviation Authority's inquiry into the affair. Ryanair has accepted from the outset that a problem occurred on the flight.

The aviation authority, which supervises Irish registered airlines, regardless of where in the world they are flying, became involved after a passenger reported the incident. Its inquiry should be completed within weeks. A spokeswoman for the authority said it had noted the action of the airline.

"Our investigation will continue," she said. "What will have to be decided at the end of the process is the nature of any sanction that we have to take."

She said the regulator knew the airline was "obviously taking this situation very seriously".

The authority, concerned primarily with issues of safety, cannot impose financial penalties in the event of wrongdoing.

Its sanctions range from a reprimand at the lower end up to the ultimate threat of prosecution.

It can also issue requirements for airlines to change training and operating regimes in the interest of safety. Sources said it was possible that the authority would accept Ryanair's disciplinary action as a sufficient response.

Agent Smith

i was on a ryanair flight last wensday,
was full to the brim,
put passenger's in the cabin crew's seats and they sat on the plastic seats they only use when it's a emergancy....



Joe

Bee

Jeez...!

They will be sticking then in the cargo hold next!

The Captain deserved to go but one wonders what pressure is put on staff by Mr.O'Leary to cut costs...

Ye might find this interesting...

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
S.I. No. 437 of 2002
IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY
(OPERATIONS) ORDER, 2002

(28)
(2) The operator of a commercial transport aircraft shall ensure that all passengers
on board that aircraft are briefed in accordance with the applicable Joint
Aviation Requirements and the pilot-in-command of an aircraft shall ensure
that…(c) prior to and during each take-off and each landing and whenever, by
reason of turbulent air conditions or any emergency during flight, the
precaution is considered necessary, all passengers on board an aircraft are
secured in their seats by means of the seat belts or safety harnesses
provided.
******

I doubt if they seatbelts in the ladies!

Bee

Victor

Originally posted by agent smith
put passenger's in the cabin crew's seats

Do you mean the fold-down "jump-seats", usually on emergency rows?

Originally posted by Bee
I doubt if they seatbelts in the ladies!

I think it's been a long time since there was a "Ladies" on a plane, what with it being a 'non-paying' seat Much cheaper to go uni-sex and cut out 1-2 toilets per aircraft.

If only you could fit 4 people in the toilet, then there would be no chance of them moving about ....

Bee

Actually a certain flight company to increase profits did remove the fore toilet compartment! Wonder who that was then?

Bee

P.S. No offence meant on the politically incoorect use of the word "ladies" or "gents" or the "undecided" or ...I don't care who uses the fizzing loo as long as some folk lift the seat when they are in a standing position and the rest have the courtesy to keep it clean!:D

Bee

Sarsfield

Originally posted by agent smith
i was on a ryanair flight last wensday,
was full to the brim,
put passenger's in the cabin crew's seats and they sat on the plastic seats they only use when it's a emergancy....

Joe

It's normal for cabin crew to use the jump seats. They have to be there for take-off and landing. In the unlikely event of them having a chance for a sit-down on a full flight, that's the only place for them to sit.