Ryanair pilot wrangle set to land in courts
A legal battle has broken at Ryanair over a website set up, according to unions, to help “hard-pressed” pilots exchange information about conditions at the airline, it was learned today.
Ryanair said it had launched legal proceedings over a campaign of “harassment and intimidation” of its pilots who have considered taking up jobs on the firm’s new aircraft, to be based in Dublin later this year.
The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said the action was “extraordinary” and was aimed at forcing it and the Irish Airline Pilots Association to divulge the names of pilots who had sent comments to the website.
Jim McAuslan, general secretary of Balpa, said: “We are surprised by Ryanair’s action which has come to us without any warning. We shall vigorously defend our position in refusing to divulge names of pilots who discuss with one another their problems and aspirations.
“Indeed we are advised there is no case to answer. Ours will certainly be a very robust defence. Civil aviation has always had an open culture – for instance, pilots can log with the Civil Aviation Authority any safety incidents or concerns they may have, and do this anonymously.
“This open culture has been of great benefit to our industry. If we have a disagreement with someone, we are open about it.”
Ryanair’s Director of Personnel, Eddie Wilson said: “We will not under any circumstances allow any of our pilots or people to become the victims of an organised campaign of intimidation.
“High Court proceedings have been initiated and will be pursued until we identify those individuals making these threats, some of which include suggestions of criminal activity.
“This certainly isn’t the first time that Ryanair’s employees have been the victims of intimidation by members of trade unions at Dublin Airport, but we intend to make certain as a result of these High Court proceedings that it is the last.
“Dublin Airport should exist for the benefit of the travelling public, and not for the feather bedding the high salaries and restrictive practices of pilots, many of whom in Ryanair’s case earn over 130,000 euros per year.”
