Ryanair table-tennis emails with Panorama.
Ahead of tomorrow’s Panorama investigation – ‘Why Hate Ryanair?’, the Michael O’Leary PR machine released a pdf of email ping-pong with the BBC team.
In the usual bullish style we’ve come to love and hate about Ryanair, they knock down questions and slag off the BBC’s impartiality, accusing the broadcaster of a bias campaign against O’Leary and co.
Ryanair also offered an interview with O’Leary, but only if it would be aired un-edited and in full. Panorama politely declined on principle.
In fairness to Ryanair, reporter Vivian White approached the story with a few inaccuracies including confusion over a booking system and “dirty deals will airbus”.
One of the points White put to Ryanair was the following:
Panorama: Pilots. Similarly we have spoken to a number [of pilots], and one on the record. We understand that 45 minutes is allocated each day to flight preparation, which means that pilots frequently have to do part of this work in their own time, as 45 minutes is often insufficient. Can you confirm and comment on this?
Ryanair: Complete rubbish. 45 minutes is more than sufficient for 2 pilots (Captain and First Officer) to complete flight preparations for their flights. Remember these people are flying on the same aircraft every day, on routes they know very well, where the only variable will be weather and passenger loads. We would be happy to show you what’s involved in such flight preparation which can easily be completed within 15 minutes. This is an example of Panorama clearly straying into industrial relations, rather than focusing on facts.
So, according to a Panorama source, 45 minutes is often insufficient, yet Ryanair assert a mere 15 min is enough to cover over 150 individual pre-flight checks (according to a pilot friend I chatted to earlier).
Another great exchange included White asking Ryanair if Panorama could attend their annual general meeting. The airline operator responded in kind:
From: Mcnamara, Stephen
Sent: 04 September 2009 13:29
To: ‘Vivian White’
Subject: RE: from Vivian White, BBC-TV Panorama.
No. We have no intention of facilitating yet another BBC hatchet job.Regards
Stephen McNamara
Oh Ryanair. I can’t wait for this tomorrow night… and the inevitable shit-storm.
Comments ( 2 )
Jack added these insightful comments on Oct 13 09 at 2:05 pmHi,
I fly for RYR as a first officer. I love my job and we have plenty of time before we depart. It’s very repetetive and the plane is quickly checked. My dad used to fly the dc8 and early models of the 747. When I talk to him we agree that today flying really has become a lot easier. I don’t understand the fuzz from the BBC program. Some captains I flew with are tired of being an airline pilot or are frustrated they don’t fly the international routes with BA. Yes indeed then they get disgruntled and say things they don’t really mean. It’s a pity. Anyway, to all passengers. I feel safe so should you.
Cheers,
Jack
admin added these insightful comments on Oct 13 09 at 3:25 pmThanks for the input. Is 15 minutes more than enough time in your opinion then?
Some rights reserved 2009