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Michael O'Leary Steve Parsons/PA Wire

"We don't want boy racers flying our planes" - Michael O'Leary hits back

The Ryanair boss said that the airline has a “29-year safety record” and has no concerns over its fuel policy.

RYANAIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE Michael O’Leary has moved to defend the company’s safety procedures after a Channel 4 documentary aired last night.

In ‘Ryanair: Secrets from the Cockpit’, details of the airline’s fuel usage were outlined, with pilots interviewed saying that they have concerns over the amount of fuel that they carry.

The programme contained details of three Ryanair flights which issued Mayday fuel alerts in the one incident. The planes had been diverted from Madrid to Valencia but had all either entered, or were close to entering, into their reserve fuel tanks. This would give them less than half an hour of flying.

O’Leary, speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, said that despite the incident, the company had not altered policy.

“[Policy] hasn’t changed because, as the official IAA (Irish Aviation Authority) report confirms, all of our aircraft  take the required extra hours worth of fuel and fully complied fully with EU rules on declaring a fuel emergency.

“These are 3 planes in the last two years of over 1.2 million flights. These are unusual cases.”

O’Leary said that the IAA has “no concerns” over Ryanair policy.

“The IAA said to Channel 4, but Channel 4 omitted to broadcast, that Ryanair’s safety is on a par with the safest airlines in Europe. Not the average, the safest.”

A current Ryanair pilot, John Goss, was interviewed about a Ryanair practice of keeping league tables on which pilots consume the most fuel. Under the practice, pilots who use the most fuel are sent letters at the end of the month.

O’Leary, however, says that the tables promote safety.

“It’s like if you drive to Cork. It doesn’t matter whether you start with a full tank or a half tank. Fuel consumption is based on whether you’re going 100 miles an hour or 50 miles an hour. We want our pilots at 50 mph. It is is the safest way to fly. It means you have smooth takeoffs and landings and control consumption.

“90 per cent of the time, pilots are using more fuel because of flight speeds.

We don’t want boy racers flying our planes. We don’t want guys flying in hard, slapping on brakes. We want them slower, smoother and safer.

O’Leary added that Ryanair pilots are the ones who choose the fuel load and that decision is “at their discretion”.

Read: Ryanair to sue Channel 4 over Dispatches programme on pilots and safety

Read: Ryanair pilots reveal serious concerns about passenger safety

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102 Comments
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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:23 AM

    Just imaging a plane talking off and the pilot wearing a baseball cap and Swedish House Mafia thumping in the cockpit.

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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:24 AM

    *Imagining, damn I’m groggy today !

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:26 AM

    Why?

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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:56 AM

    It was my birthday yesterday :)

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:03 AM

    No – the question was ‘why imagine?’ Happy birthday +1!

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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:05 AM

    I corrected my iPhone error :)

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    Mute Truth Patrol
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:28 AM

    “No Fear” sticker up tinted windows with the tuuunes blarin’…

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    Mute Truth Patrol
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:36 AM

    Ps. Im getting the feeling I get when checking out certain ‘reviews’ on TripAdvisor when reading certain comments posted here…

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:24 PM

    Happy Birthday, Michelle!

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    Mute Eileen Roche
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    Aug 13th 2013, 9:02 PM

    Right from day one aerlingus and it’s investers have been trying to cut O’Leary’s throat. He was on a programme not long after he started the company, his fares were unbelievable but he said people were being fooled, he had bought a ranch in America with profits. It was the first time I had heard a business man say he had made money even though his fares were the cheapest anywhere at the time. He was hated from then on by certain media moguls, propaganda was rife.
    I have flown ryanair quite a few times and no complaints, only for them I could never have afforded to attend wedding or funeral.etc. I don’t need silk cushions and champagne on a flight.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:19 AM

    Fair dues to O’Leary. Its a pity that the disgruntled pilots were allowed to make the allegations without ANY questions or opportunity for rebuttal. It made the program one sided and biased.

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:43 AM

    O’Leary was asked to provide an interview but would only agree if it was aired in a completely unedited version, C4 insisted that they would only allow an edited interview meaning that they could cut and chop what they liked. I can understand his reluctance to put in whatever they wanted as they have the power to portray whatever they want but I also realise that in fitting into a 1 hour show you can’t just show an entire interview, especially a lad like Mick who is fond of his own voice.

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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:48 AM

    The show was was only 27 minutes. Worse again.

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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:57 AM

    Hi Michael

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    Mute Stephen Bourke
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:39 PM

    If one side of an argument insists the producers cede editorial control for his side, then it’s hardly a balanced programme. It is possible to make a fair programme without “balance”, of course.

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    Mute Tom Quinn
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    Aug 13th 2013, 7:31 PM

    He is also a fun man.

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    Mute fergalreid
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:11 AM

    I think MOL is well aware that his whole business model is predicated on Ryanair’s planes flying safely. People will pay peanuts for crap service but not if they perceive that cheapness extends to their own wellbeing in the air. 29 years is a very long time for such a large airline to be doing so well. I generally prefer Air Lingus as I appreciate airport proximity to the actual city I’m travelling to but I’ve only once had problems with Ryanair and that’s not enough to stop flying with them. The airline is – broadly – an incredible Irish success story and, like him or not, MOL is one of the greatest businessmen this country has ever produced.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:23 AM

    Totally agree Fergal. Well typed.

    But many of our countrymen can only knock success!

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    Mute Daire Sweeney
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:38 PM

    Well said!

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    Mute Tom Quinn
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    Aug 13th 2013, 7:29 PM

    Totally agree about MOL, but I still use aerlingus.

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    Mute Chrissy Beanz
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:20 AM

    Ya can’t do a ‘doughnut’ in a 737.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:49 AM

    You can, you probably won’t be able to get out of it once you start it though.

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    Mute Paul Donnelly
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:36 AM

    Did you miss the fact that around 50% of pilots participated in the survey even after direct emails and press conference from O Leary that they would be sacked? Over 80% felt at times it is unsafe due to pressure from the company, that many are on ZERO hour contracts, that they have no confidence in the internal reporting structures!! This allied to a feeling that you don’t rock the boat or your job is at risk is very every dangerous. Also as Ryanair is now the biggest employer in Europe for pilots it really doesn’t leave them with many opportunities to “walk away” if they don’t like it. I think that the aviation authority have questions to answer here in terms of the pilots lack of confidence in their ability to challenge Ryanair. Finally, the race to the bottom by airlines means that they will copy Ryanairs policy of minimum fuel and the point was made if there are 3/4/5 flights declaring fuel emergencies at the same time then who gets to to the top of the list to land? We should really listen to the guys FLYING the planes not the one who stands to made hundreds of millions of euro from this type of business model or do we have to wait until their is a crash and hundreds are killed?

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:43 AM

    Yes we should listen to the guys flying. But also have the chance to question them! This program made no probing analysis/questioning; it just allowed pilots (for whom the good days are over) to moan…

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:47 AM

    Paul D do you also accept that MOL must realise that the safety record of his airline is the most important factor in Ryanairs continuing success. So much as a single item will be blown out of all proportion and could really knock a serious hole int their plans for continued dominance. It’s clear that the pilots real grievance is nothing to do with safety and more to do with their own personal employment circumstances. I’ve no problem with anyone standing up for their own employment terms but lets not do it under a guise of “health and safety”. If Ryanair have a safety case to answer let it come from an actual report by a safety body/regulator not hearsay from disgruntled employees.

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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:58 AM

    The full correspondence between them and channel 4 is on the Ryanair website. They offered all the anonymous pilots a legally binding contract of no disciplinary action or repercussions if they spoke uncensored but they all declined. Ryanair reckons they declined because rosters etc will prove their accusations to be false. Ryanair also mentioned that in 2006 Dispatches used actors in a program, claiming to be sleeping Ryanair pilots.

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    Mute Gordon Hughes
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:21 AM

    3 flights out of 1.2m !!! An impeccable safety record without fail , disgruntled employees making faceless accusations and there’s always the anti capitalist fools who lap it up . Ryanair might not sit well with people but they’ve revolutionized cheap air travel for everybody . Cheap shots by clowns at MOL because he’s made millions from being a very clever business man is pathetic , Maybe if we had people like him running this country we’d be in a much better position about now . Instead we’ve inept buffoons in office !

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    Mute Liam O'Reilly
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:33 AM

    He has the neck to talk about smooth landings? Has he ever been on a Ryanair flight?
    Almost every Ryanair flights I’ve been on has landed twice. They usually hit the deck with enough force to bounce a couple of feet off the runway before landing again.

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:44 AM

    I totally agree Liam. It’s only a matter of time before a Ryanair plane ends up in the grass!

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    Mute Stefano Tognon
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:22 AM

    I flew hundreds of times with Ryanair, Aerlingus, AirFrance and other companies too. Never experienced that and never noticed any difference with other major airlines.

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    Mute mumblesfromlondon
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:24 PM

    That’s true… They do tend to land a bit too fast hence the slight bounce on impact, but I don’t think it is any reflection on safety. Ryanair know that one single incident one cripple their business, so there’s just no way they are cutting corners on safety. With the combined impeccable safety record of Ryanair and Aer Lingus I don’t see how either of them or the IAA have anything to answer to anyone.

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    Mute Piarais Mac An TSaoir
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:52 PM

    What a load of bollocks. It’s got nothing to do with Ryanair how hard or soft the plane lands you gullible fools. Think about what you are saying…you think there is a Ryaiair policy document somewhere that states ‘Pilot must land and bounce the wheels off the tarmac twice before hitting the brakes then playing the charge of the light brigade sound’? Are you for real? I’ve flown Ryanair 3-400 (probably much more) times in the past 10 years and I have never once had cause to complain.

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    Mute Johnnyi Harlyknewya
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:13 AM

    Well they have the tacky seats sorted anyway…

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    Mute Denis O Donovan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:25 AM

    Someone asked yesterday how o’leary would put a positive spin on this.

    Consider the question answered and answered well IMHO!

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    Mute Mundo7976
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:44 AM

    I too thought the programme was one sided, and yes their flights are rough and ready, but go to other airlines and pay 3-10 times the price for luxury. 29 year safety record with no crashes is brilliant, not many airlines holding that badge! On the pilots, what boss who’s keeping a good company going, doesn’t keep all their staff in check? I think the days of pilot elitism are long gone.

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:56 AM

    Now hang on a second here Mundo you can’t bring logic and sense to an argument like this!! Did you not see the show last night on Channel 4 which clearly PROVES that Ryanair is breaking safety regulations, sure an employee that’s p*ssed off with his employment contract said so!

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    Mute Mundo7976
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:02 AM

    Of course, proof all round, even the IAA’s lack of response to the complainants showed this. I love logic i does!!

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    Mute lostintallaght
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:23 AM

    3 to 10 times the price. No way. I don’t mind flying with Ryanair at all and I’ve done it many, many times but they’re not as cheap as they used to be and nowhere closer to 10 times cheaper for any flight I’ve looked at recently.

    Myself, the wife and our infant are flying to London (not an uncommon destination) in September. Cityjet into London City were cheaper than Ryanair into Stansted (50KM from London). That’s before you take into account the cost of the journey from Stansted to London and the time that it takes.

    I met me wife when she lived in London and I lived in Dublin 13 years ago. One of us used to travel over every second week at one point. The flights then were dirt cheap – sometimes the cost of a taxi to and from Dublin Airport used to be more – but those days of really cheap Ryanair flights are over. I always suggest looking at other airlines because many of them do similar deals to Ryanair now without the cattle mentality.

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    Mute Fergal Reid
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:34 AM

    London City is a great new possibility and long may that connection prosper. Friend of mine uses it quite often. Another friend of mine living in Cambridge is quite happy with Ryanair out of Stansted because it’s the closest airport to her. We are pretty spoilt for choice flying to London out of Dublin, it has to be said!

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:28 PM

    London City – new? The best access to central London (West End) is the Gatwick Express to Victoria. Fast, new and smooth trains every half hour – run by Virgin. Book online; much cheaper.

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    Mute Mick Walsh
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:28 AM

    I don’t know what’s wrong with carrying extra fuel. If I drive from Dublin to Cork with half a tank and encounter a tailback at the Jack Lynch tunnel and subsequently run out of fuel, I can pull over to the side of the road and call the AA, however if I fly to Madrid and my plane runs out of fuel I (God forbid) fall out of the sky killing hundreds- it’s a strange analogy by MOL.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:34 AM

    No – its your analogy that is strange….

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    Mute ieoinu
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:54 AM

    How is it, Paul? Or are you here just trolling the women? Sad man!

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:56 AM

    A plane doesn’t just fall out of the sky, that only happens in bad movies. In reality an aircraft is capable of gliding should it run out of fuel. It’s not perfect and it can’t stay up forever but it would be more than enough to get you to an airport, especially in Europe where an airport or military airbase is never too far away.

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    Mute Mick Walsh
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:34 AM

    Is that true Jason, I would have thought that no fuel = no power, no power = no means to steer or control a descent. It all seems a bit to guessy for something so serious. Would you risk your own life and your families lives with a chance that the plane could glide into a different airport.
    Would it not make more sense to carry the extra bit of fuel and put an extra euro or two on what is to be fair the cheapest air fares going.

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:42 AM

    Mick will you calm down, there’s no issues with the amount of fuel these planes are carrying. You’re letting some Channel 4 show influence you when the safety statistics and regulators reports are already crystal clear on this, no case to be answered. You’re talking about things being too “guessy” when you’re just pure speculating about this yourself.

    Also yes he is correct on the gliding, a plane glides somewhere around 1 foot down for every 15 feet forward. At a height of 30K feet this is around 450K feet or 135Kms.

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    Mute Mathew Gunning
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:18 PM

    A plane has a backup battery and a little wind generator that pops down underneath the cockpit when the engines fail and power is lost. It is enough to provide power to all essential equipment and a bit more for lighting ect. In 1 of the air crash disasters programs, the plane glided about 300km over the Atlantic to land on some Spanish island that had a military base. In Europe there are alot of airports and military bases which can be used.

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    Mute Mathew Gunning
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:28 PM

    Sorry a quick correction. The plane fully glided 120km but this does not include the circling and S-bend turnes needed to slow the plane down and land safely.
    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Transat_Flight_236

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    Mute Niall
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    Aug 13th 2013, 2:42 PM

    Always think its safer to just bring enough fuel in the first place! Definitely beats gliding and all that sort of thing.

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    Mute Loop De Loop
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    Aug 13th 2013, 4:26 PM

    Mathew,
    You are referring to the RAT ( ram air turbine ) . unfortunately this is not fitted to 737′s , it’s more an airbus device. Don’t believe everything you see on Tv, especially C4.

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    Mute Bill
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    Aug 13th 2013, 4:45 PM

    Heard no mention of R.A.T on C4

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    Mute Bill
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    Aug 13th 2013, 4:49 PM

    Gosh if all this gliding to land is so simple why don’t we get all aircraft to shut down engines just before passing over Howth let poor old Gaybo get his beauty sleep

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    Mute Joseph Gi
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    Aug 13th 2013, 8:24 PM

    Jason that is utter nonsense.

    Landing without fuel is an extremely difficult manoeuvre and should be avoided at all costs and it is in no way an easy feat. Without fuel your passengers suddenly have no air to breathe and you have to drop to a breathable flight level otherwise they die; the flight computers, hydraulics which control the flight surfaces have lost power and you rely on a little wind turbine or a battery to be able to operate the aircraft and see where it’s going; it’s constantly at risk of stalling and LITERALLY falling out of the sky; and it only has 15 minutes to get into position and land, otherwise that Ryanair flight is going to become a fireball, with no possibility of aborting a landing.

    Airplanes were designed to be landable without fuel just like they are designed to land with any number of emergencies (engine blows up, cabin door gets ripped off the fuselage, fires, bird strikes, missing landing gear, you name it), that doesn’t in NO WAY imply that it’s easy and it’s not a problem, and any airline that deliberately does this will have its permission to fly revoked.

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    Mute Brian Canavan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:03 AM

    I believe only one of the ryanair flights declaring a mayday had entered into reserve fuel, not three as article states. I do not like to fly ryanair and will choose aer lingus as often as possible, but I don’t believe the passengers safety was compromised on THIS occasion.

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    Mute Tertullian
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:55 AM

    To the best of my knowledge the Ryanair flights that declared Mayday had been circling Madrid for about an hour – they were unable to land because of thunderstorms there – and were then diverted to Valencia where they were also put in a holding pattern. They still had at least 30 mins of fuel left when they landed. I don’t think that passenger safety was ever an issue.

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    Mute Brian Canavan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:41 PM

    According to channel 4 dispatches, the lives of the passengers were in grave danger. You have echoed my point that they weren’t. ‘Dispatches’ in what can only be considered an exercise in hyperbole and scaremongering with an obvious intent to damage ryanair.

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    Mute Kevin Hunt
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:28 AM

    It does matter how much fuel you take as the more fuel you have in your tank, the more you will burn as it weighs more! That is why its less economical to put a full tank of fuel into your car, common sense will tell you that. Thats why airlines dont just fly around with more fuel than they need. Also has he seen or been on Ryanair flights? They definately burn more rubber on landing than any other airline. They do land harder than other airlines too, im presuming thats due to Ryanair pilots on average having less experience flying than those in other airlines, due to high turnover in pilot rates

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    Mute Mary Mc Carthy
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:34 AM

    Just another reason why I don’t fly Ryanair . You should always be prepared for the unexpected ….. What if a plan is diverted for weather or weather reasons and they have not enough fuel ? Is it going to take an horrific accident for this cheapskate man to wake up !

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    Mute Jigsaw
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:42 AM

    They have enough fuel! It’s just that Ryanair are clever that if something unexpected happens they declare an emergency and get to land faster. Half an hour of reserves would be able to get you to a wide range of airports in emergencies.

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    Mute Eire
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    Aug 13th 2013, 4:14 PM

    Mary flying in a plan is always risky planes are more reliable

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    Mute Fagan fagan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:17 AM

    That’s me f****d so
    Better try air lingus again

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    Mute micheal285
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:57 AM

    Prefer Aer Lingus any day : more professional and better staff : O Leary is bully that’s all and his luck will run out someday along with a plane full of passengers unfortunately :(

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:19 AM

    What’ll you do when Ryanair buy Aer Lingus – and we have a budget trans-atlantic airline?

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    Mute lostintallaght
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:25 AM

    Paul, Ryanair are about to sell their Aer Lingus shares. They realise this buy-out will never be allowed to go ahead.

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    Mute Conor Shanley
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:16 PM

    Delta are fairly budget trans atlantic?

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    Mute Mel Finn
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:33 AM

    next he will convert all his planes to diesel, always good for a laugh MO’l

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    Mute PJ Long
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:15 PM

    This hard landing cr*p is starting to become annoying. Ryanair fly a fleet of 737-800 aircraft. This is a stretched version of the 737. Its manufactured by Boeing. The landing procedures, angle of attact, decent etc are different for the shorter version’s of the aircraft. The landings are standard for this type of aircraft. Absolutely nothing to do with inexperience or safrty.

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    Mute Bill
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    Aug 13th 2013, 10:59 AM

    O Leary threatened to sue Chanel 4 last night I note that is now off the agenda probably cos his legal team had a look and said nothing to sue here Micheal C4 have their facts right .

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    Mute mike cleary
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:34 AM

    As much as MOL talks shite, the pilots are as much to blame here, they are professionals that accepted these conditions, they aren’t quitting because being a pilot was always their childhood dream blah blah(Like it is mine but once I got my commercial licence I wouldn’t prostitute my self to Ryanair, Arran etc, I wouldn’t pay to get a job ahead of my classmates !) and they would rather put lives at risk and work for nothing than be unemployed.

    I feel I need to repeat my comment from the last article:

    This is purely a HR battle. Ryanair pilots paid 30000 euros to join the company and accepted crap pay and conditions which are downright dangerous. These conditions that are now spreading to all airlines, and eventually all professions. The best pilot candidates, both experienced and fresh out of flight school are not getting jobs here. The richest are.
    Ryanair pilots(And Aer Arann, Easyjet, anywhere pilots pay to work, etc) are regarded as worse than scab workers in a strike by the rest of the pilot community.
    I know the Journal readership is generally young and full of people who know how tough it is to find work etc.
    I appeal to them:
    DON’T PAY FOR WORK,
    DON’T WORK FOR FREE!!
    DON’T SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO DO!

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    Mute mike cleary
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:39 AM

    And just as a matter of interest: how many people here that know pilots in Ryanair and Arran knew that they paid for their job? (€28500 at FR and €17000 at Arran)

    I keep finding instances that their friends just assumed they were the best pilots and the money part of the selection process was omitted when telling everyone they got a job. If 10 pilots go for assessment to one of these airlines I would estimate 2-3 have shed-loads of money lying around. What happens is the best candidates after interview and sim assessment put their hands up and say: “Sorry I’m poor” and the job offer is passed down to someone who only adequately passed but has 30k written on a cheque.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:45 AM

    Mick. This now the industry norm. And Ryanair are just adhering to it!

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    Mute mike cleary
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:50 AM

    Right Paul, tomorrow I will ring up your company, tell them I can work for half of what they pay you, and I’l pay 30000 grand upfront to join. You will then contact me and congratulate me on getting a job in these tough time.

    See the problem here?

    Eventually no-one will get paid for work. They should just be content that that they are working.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:14 PM

    Mike. If this happened (you took my Ryanair job) in these hypothetical circumstances – the airline would be in breach of contract. And I wouldn’t congratulate you – just sue the airline!

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    Mute mike cleary
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:31 PM

    I never said I’d take your job Mike did I? But you naturally sensed the threat that if I accepted lower conditions that you are on, eventually I and others who accept worse conditions than currently offered, would replace you at all airlines.

    After all its what you did yourself right?

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:47 PM

    No, Mike. Pay attention.

    My contract has nothing to do with yours – or anyone else’s.

    In the company that I actually work for, individual contracts are drawn up for each employee every two years.

    These are based on experience, targets (past and future), ability, worth to the company – and remuneration is set accordingly, with bonus triggers. Ryanair is no different – in the main.

    I’m very happy with that type of ‘self-employed’ arrangement.

    Are you able to take that in?

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:54 PM

    It’s called supply and demand. There’s a huge supply of people who want to be pilots cos flying a plane is cool and great for getting laid, and it vastly outstrips the demand for pilots. When supply exceeds demand, it drives down the price. You can choose not to participate, in which case you won’t work.

    If you want to be well paid, pick a career where your specific skills are needed but not many people can do it or want to do it.

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    Mute mike cleary
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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:02 PM

    Paul you will not have a very long career out of this. Stay at FR and your pay will continue to fall, try and get into another carrier….why should they hire you if you are now broke after your stint in FR when they can get someone to pay £84000 to join BA or £105000 to join Qatar?

    3-4 years down the line you will have no where to go.

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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:03 PM

    Name a profession and there will be people who dream of wanting to do it. They might not be the best but if they work for nothing they will still get hired.

    This needs to stop.

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    Mute Glen Hoddle
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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:15 PM

    Same tough negotiating in my company every three years, Paul. Almost entirely performance/target driven but, its the fairest way. The days of collective bargaining are long gone and Ryanair are simply using modern employment methods which are more clearly defined.

    Where you went to school isn’t too important, or who your da was. Its more a matter of showing you can do a job (by meeting targets) and being willing to take on bigger ones next year. If some guys want just a basic wage, I’m sure its available out there.

    Everyone must embrace change. Many Ryanair pilots, last night, didn’t seem to notice that the world have moved on and that computers now run planes (largely!) – just like banks where so much less personnel are required these days. As well as for other reasons……

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:21 PM

    You’re making loads of assumptions there, Mike. That there is always an oversupply of people dreaming of a particular job (false – how many people dream of cleaning drains and how many people do we actually need?), that there’s value added by every employee (false, especially when they need training), that the marginal value of anyone in a job is the same (false, experience and developed skills count), and that refusing to participate will actually make a difference (insanely false, since someone always breaks the embargo).

    In economics, resistance is futile. But you can make it work in your favour.

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    Mute DaVe O'm
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:21 PM

    I don’t doubt that there will be an issue at some stage that can be tied back to the “low cost” airline strategy be it driver fatigue or poorly made/maintained planes. BUT i’m not sure it’ll be Ryanair; they are used to the low cost idea, if you take a job as a pilot there you know what you’re getting into, other pilots who must be feeling the pinch from the low cost flyers may have a more detrimental reaction.
    The real problem highlighted again is the english government allowance of zero hour contracts just to keep the unemployment figures down.
    http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/ryanair-swot-analysis–michael-olearys-maniacal-focus-on-being-the-lowest-cost-producer-96465

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    Mute Richard Carroll
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    Aug 13th 2013, 6:26 PM

    Documentary trying to make something out of nothing. Ryanair perfectly safe to fly with. I have no issue what so ever putting my mother in law on a Ryanair flight.

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    Mute Nigel Tierney
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:32 AM

    Strange analogy of a car…but if your boss expects you to drive from Dublin to cork and be there in the minimum time ,it would be very difficult to stick to 50mph. So therefore I suspect the fuel tables have very little to do with aircraft performance.

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    Mute Tristan Ua Ceithearnaigh
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:24 AM

    The smug look this man has on his face on every photo says it all.
    I wouldn’t fly on this man’s airline if he paid me for it.

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:31 AM

    Tris – with your ‘smug look’ he wouldn’t let you on!

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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:33 AM

    I believe you said that yesterday, somehow I don’t think Ryanair or O’Leary are all that bothered.Millions of passengers are happy to use Ryanair every year and those numbers are still growing.

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    Mute John Campbell
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:43 AM

    @ Tristan, I had your attitude for years until necessity forced me to fly Ryanair to both Britain and Spain.
    Managed a four day stay in hot Barcelona and had fresh clothes each day out of my hand luggage, flights were on time and airport only twenty minutes from hotel.
    You get what it says on the can so to speak . We should be proud of a very successful Irish business.

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    Mute Humera Akhter
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:52 PM

    Absolute rubbish! Overworked, Underpaid, given ridiculous targets to reach and bullied by under qualified management. Its about time this company was put under an investigation!

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    Mute Tony Durran
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    Aug 13th 2013, 12:38 PM

    This guy is such a bull shitt*r. One minute he’s lightening everything on the plane and minimising load to conserve fuel next minute:
    “It’s like if you drive to Cork. It doesn’t matter whether you start with a full tank or a half tank. Fuel consumption is based on whether you’re going 100 miles an hour or 50 miles an hour.”
    He knows full well that fuel is one of the largest loads of the plane. If he’s not going to have an honest debate then he can shut the f*ck up!

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    Mute Brendan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:34 AM

    Thomas Reagan quotes:
    I could post a picture of my 6 pack again if you want another example of me winning.
    I think I’m on the winning team with a 5 bed in Cabinteely and a 110K job.
    If I’m so docile then why do I consistently swim against the pack here?
    Hahah the crackpots are out in force. Cancer and suicide in Ireland are caused by fluoride in the water. Undeniable facts.
    I have 47 upvotes which is more than you have. Want to compare bank accounts?
    This is classic stuff…

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    Mute Paul Foot
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    Aug 13th 2013, 11:39 AM

    What you on Bren?

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    Mute Brendan
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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:55 PM

    Something is technically wrong.
    Thanks for noticing—we’re going to fix it up and have things back to normal soon……

    I know a lot of Irish people online don’t have a sense of humor.

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    Mute Alex Scarrott
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:53 PM

    ‘We want our pilots at 50 mph. It is the safest way to fly. It means you have smooth take offs and landings and control consumption’
    Evidently Mr O’Leary has never flown into Cork Airport on a Ryanair flight ….. They don’t land ,they hit the ground. I fly the return route twice a month so trust me I know !

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    Mute Joseph Gi
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    Aug 13th 2013, 9:14 PM

    Dear Paul Hosford,

    I believe you need to fact check this article. Parts of what Michael O’Leary has stated are technical falsehoods. Flying at a lower speed has absolutely no effect on flight safety.

    “O’Leary, however, says that the tables promote safety. ‘It’s like if you drive to Cork. It doesn’t matter whether you start with a full tank or a half tank. Fuel consumption is based on whether you’re going 100 miles an hour or 50 miles an hour. We want our pilots at 50 mph. It is is the safest way to fly. It means you have smooth takeoffs and landings and control consumption. 90 per cent of the time, pilots are using more fuel because of flight speeds.’”

    This statement is technially false on several levels:

    1. Cruising speed does not in any way jeopardise flight safety. Driving an automobile at 100 mph reduces controlability, reduces response time, and increases the violence of collisions in case of an emergency. None of this applies to a commercial flight, and in fact, flying at a speed too low is in fact dangerous due to the risk of stalling.

    2. A low speed on takeoff is actually dangerous and is nearly the only way a plane can crash on takeoff, and in no way guarantees a “smooth takeoff”, quite the opposite. In fact at takeoff you’re SUPPOSED to run your engines at maximum power in case you lose one of your engines (a 2-engined aircraft is actually designed to be able to takeoff with only one engine)

    3. The only time that speed is truly dangerous is during landing, which the pilots are required to operate the engines at the lowest power setting anyway, the aircraft is at its lightest, it is actually trying to slow down, so the fuel consumption by comparison is insignificant at this flight stage.

    4. One of the primary ways that airplanes burn more fuel is because of weight. The amount of fuel a B737-800 can carry can be up to 1/3 the takeoff weight of the aircraft. The heavier the plane is, the more lift is needed to lift it, the more thrust is needed to provide this lift, and the more fuel is needed to generate this thrust, the more fuel you need to carry, the heavier the plane is, and on and on. So more fuel carried does critically increase fuel consumption, and Ryanair knows this (as does every airline), which is also consistent with Ryanair’s infamously strict policies regarding luggage allowance. Any statement to the contrary should be treated as a false statement.

    Their claim that this fuel table policy promotes safety is a lie. It cannot possibly achieve any such objective. Their claim that this fuel table policy is not intended to reduce cost is technically invalid and inconsistent with other Ryanair policies. I have no issue with Ryanair being allowed to state whatever they want, however such statements from Ryanair ought to be fact checked to provide a balanced viewpoint.

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    Mute Lynne Underwood
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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:15 PM

    I don’t mean to be funny but I had a friend air hostest,,,,she used to tell me tht the pilot she flew with used to be pissed ….ryanair…in the 90s xxx so me no travel with them x

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    Mute ed w
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:22 PM

    Cant remember the last time I had a smooth landing on a Ryanair flight they always sem to be trying to bury the plane into the runway

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    Mute Glen Hoddle
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    Aug 13th 2013, 1:57 PM

    Fuel is an airlines major cost – and the one they have no control over.

    Ryanair’s trading performance indicators are top class. However, their long/short term fuel spot and forward purchasing has been less than inspiring; but it is akin to gambling.

    Currently, one euro of every two earned goes in fuel costs; this is too high and not sustainable.

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    Mute Tom Quinn
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    Aug 13th 2013, 7:25 PM

    Obviously he is going to defend the company.!!

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    Mute Alex Scarrott
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    Aug 13th 2013, 3:58 PM
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    Mute Mary Blake
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    Aug 13th 2013, 5:52 PM

    Aware of all the problems it’s not the first time this has accrued? Has done well for himself our
    Michael only got where he is today on the back of Aer Lingus as he was a major share holder as everyone forgot that?
    All we want is a safe flight have been on flights with Ryanair one flight was a bad experience
    as was delayed from Dublin and the crew were flown from Uk he does like cutting corners.

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    Mute harpurlee
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    Aug 15th 2013, 7:59 AM

    Ryanairs safety record speaks for its self like them or loathe them they have brought cheap air travel to the masses
    I for one would not have been to as many places only for their affordable flights you get what you pay for no more no less as for Michael o leary hes a brilliant businessman but typical irish attitude if somebody is successfull its easy to hate them..hed make a great taoiseach

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    Mute Andrew Matheson
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    Aug 14th 2013, 7:47 AM

    If they’re not boy racers why do they land so hard and taxi so quickly into the airport in comparison to aer lingus?

    Ryanair – boy racers of the skies!

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