There are two current stories in the news about the airline-I-love-to-hate, Ryanair. This may seem more personal than a news item warrants, but I vowed years ago to never fly Ryanair, at the time because of statements by it’s CEO, that Trumpian character, Michael O’Leary.
Recently the airline announced it’s intention to submit a takeover bid for the bankrupt Italian carrier, Alitalia. Then yesterday it was disclosed by Ryanair that it intends to cancel 2000 flights of its own from its fall schedule, apparently to right mismanagement of staff scheduling and related slips in on-time service. A number of news sources are now discussing the airline’s unfitness to acquire Alitalia. I’ll be watching with interest.
Update: The Guardian reports, “Ryanair customers face the threat of a fresh wave of flight cancellations as the airline’s pilots prepare to reject an offer of a cash bonus if they give up days off.” Read more here.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary is a man who is willing to admit his mistakes—and then try to make others pay for them. In the continuing saga, O’Leary yesterday told shareholders that “We make mistakes. This time we made a major boo boo.”
He informed them that he intended to force pilots to give up a week of this year’s vacation to avoid further flight cancellations, and said he would tell them the airline would “make it up to you.”
He also told media later that the company and the pilots had no problems between them, and that if they do not comply “that will be the end of the goodies… I don’t even know how there would be industrial action in Ryanair, there isn’t a union.”
Apparently the pilots didn’t get the message: they have been organizing to refuse the extra flights and promised pay, and are demanding settlement of other long-standing grievances.
Sounds like O’Leary may be contemplating a run for president of Ireland with one more offend-as-many-as-possible approach.
Ryanair have not got enough pilots to fulfil its schedule until the end of October.
Norwegian Air have been recruiting pilots for it’s new Transatlantic flights.
Many from Ryanair.
Speaking as the owner of the busiest airline in Europe, Mr O’Leary said “Where we fly to a city 5 times a day – we will only fly 4” – “And the 2 thousand flights we will cancel only represents 2% of our total number”
A wonderful Airline for those who actually use it – a no frills bus service around Europe at a price that’s cheaper than a large Pizza !
Michael O’Leary has never kept me hostage in JFK for 3 days like Delta did when my UK flight returned with navigation problems – then tried to blame the weather to disown me.