Ryanair an Apology

Xpro

Another Ryanair bashing newspaper has apologised.

Article below:

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article1188114.ece

christy c

I see that the apology was because of legal action by Ryanair. They seem to be taking more legal action these days against newspapers, etc just to try to make them think twice before printing crap like this.

I love the bit where it says "there was no such report", which means they completely invented the story.

L1011

Its also possible that someone else invented the story by providing them with a faked report. Which would show poor research and verification on the paper's part.

pclancy

"...fuel-burn league tables are designed to improve fuel performance, which makes flights safer..."

Can someone explain the fuel burn league tables to me?

Tenger

pclancy wrote: »

"...fuel-burn league tables are designed to improve fuel performance, which makes flights safer..."

Can someone explain the fuel burn league tables to me?

Basically it is said that pilots at each FR base are ranked by how efficient (frugal?) they are at adhering to the planned fuel loads. While each captain can request extra fuel he must be accountable for his reasons.

The theory is that FR are increasing risks by applying pressure on their flight crew to not take extra fuel if not absolutely needed. As quite the percentage of FR crew are contractors the argument is that they could find themselves no longer needed if they stay too long at the bottom of the league table for their base.

castie

I wonder what the compensation was...

The Sunday Times said the damages payable to Ryanair will, at the company’s request, be paid to an Irish-based charity, The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.

A bit from another part of the web.
If true fair play to them!

IngazZagni

Tenger wrote: »

Basically it is said that pilots at each FR base are ranked by how efficient (frugal?) they are at adhering to the planned fuel loads. While each captain can request extra fuel he must be accountable for his reasons.

The theory is that FR are increasing risks by applying pressure on their flight crew to not take extra fuel if not absolutely needed. As quite the percentage of FR crew are contractors the argument is that they could find themselves no longer needed if they stay too long at the bottom of the league table for their base.

The league tables show average fuel burn vs expected fuel burn. How much fuel you depart with or extra fuel you take is not shown. It's supposed to try and get pilots to fly efficiently, as in fly optimum altitudes and econ speeds. Many airlines have something similar to this and it has been going on for many years. Most of the time it is completely inaccurate though. A few holdings, a diversion could put you at the bottom through no fault of your own.

Suasdaguna1

Fuel tables are a blunt instrument to deter Capts taking excess fuel....period.

Take 2 Capts......one flies earlies one week, the other capt does lates on the same roster. The week in question sees snow, thunderstorms etc in the mix for the earlies capt but the lates Capt weather for his/her fields of operation is benign.

Fuel tables come out.... earlies capt shows up red, lates capt shows up green.

Keep chipping away at these tables and the earlies capt who's got a hammering re his fuel uplifts for good reason will become more reticent to take excess fuel irrespective of weather forecast.....earlies capt then gets backed into a corner re weather elsewhere with fuel he wished he had and ends up breaking a cardinal sin of landing less than final reserve fuel.

It's a vicious circle folks.....

castie

Suasdaguna1 wrote: »

Fuel tables are a blunt instrument to deter Capts taking excess fuel....period.

Take 2 Capts......one flies earlies one week, the other capt does lates on the same roster. The week in question sees snow, thunderstorms etc in the mix for the earlies capt but the lates Capt weather for his/her fields of operation is benign.

Fuel tables come out.... earlies capt shows up red, lates capt shows up green.

Keep chipping away at these tables and the earlies capt who's got a hammering re his fuel uplifts for good reason will become more reticent to take excess fuel irrespective of weather forecast.....earlies capt then gets backed into a corner re weather elsewhere with fuel he wished he had and ends up breaking a cardinal sin of landing less than final reserve fuel.

It's a vicious circle folks.....

Anyone willing to make a conscious decision to that extent should not be flying.

psher666

In any given base all of the pilots are up against each other. The top 20% and the bottom 20% get letters telling them from the local base captain.

This is also unfair as each pilot may not be operating in his own base every week.

One Captain may end up bottom of the fuel league in his base just because he flew for a week in Madrid, and everyone else in his base flew at home where they get shortcuts/no holding delays etc.

Likewise, a guy who flew 20 times in the month could end up lower in the league than a guy who only flew once in the whole month. The guy who flew once may have flown two sectors with a more accurate flight plan, showing him to have saved more fuel.

Suasdaguna1

castie wrote: »

Anyone willing to make a conscious decision to that extent should not be flying.

Psychologically, fuel tables are like tape worms.....they get into anyone. I think your comment, with respect might be construed as slightly throw away. As I said, they are a blunt instrument to deter captains not to take excess fuel.

FR use them, EIN don't.