Ryanair rejects BALPA’s false claims

Among the reasons for his dismissal was his unacceptable behaviour in distributing trade union literature and memberships forms to cabin crew:

(a) during a flight, and

(b) when he should have been focusing all of his energies on flying the aircraft and the safety of Ryanair's passengers, crew and aircraft.

This case is just another PR stunt by BALPA, the British Airways pilots union, who frequently claim that Ryanair's pilots have no free time when flying, yet now they believe that when the plane is on "auto pilot", it is acceptable for the Captain to be distributing union leaflets and membership forms to cabin crew.

Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said:

"It's remarkable that Jim McAuslan, the foolish boss of British Airways pilot union BALPA is "proud" to be supporting this pilot and thinks it is acceptable that pilots, when they should be flying the aircraft and focusing on safety, are instead distributing trade union leaflets and membership forms. We have no problem with pilots distributing leaflets on their own time, but not during a flight, when they should be attending to the aircraft, going through their check lists and prioritising the safety of Ryanair's aircraft, and not the membership of failed BA trade unions.

"Ryanair looks forward to meeting and defeating these latest baseless claims by BALPA, who appear to think it is acceptable for highly paid pilots to be distributing trade union leaflets to cabin crew during a flight, when Ryanair believes they should be flying aircraft and attending to safety."