Ryanair får så hatten passer

Court: Ryanair Safety Issues on TV Report Were Proven
An Amsterdam court on April 17 found that contrary to what was claimed in a lawsuit filed by Ryanair, Dutch TV station KRO did provide sufficient evidence in a 2013 documentary to support its claims that the operator applied undue pressure on its flight crew. The show “Mayday, Mayday” investigated three different emergency landings by the Irish airline in Valencia, Spain, that involved concerns about low fuel reserves. The TV program featured Ryanair pilots expressing concerns about a culture of fear in the company that would penalize them or pressure them to fly even when they were sick or fatigued. The pilots said that the company exerted pressure on them to minimize the amount of fuel they carried on board to control costs. The pilots said they believed that policy jeopardized safety. Ryanair denied the allegations, requested that the TV station rectify statements made in the show and finally initiated legal action, accusing KRO of unlawful and negligent conduct. The court held that KRO provided sufficient evidence to support its claims about Ryanair’s company culture, as well as its fuel policy. The documentary won an award last year for investigative journalism.