Everybody’s fave airline (not), Ryanair, is having a Darwin , cancelling 50 flights a day, expected to total 2,000 before long. It claims it’s all about its holiday arrangements for pilots but interestingly, Norwegian (my fave!) has announced today that it has been poaching Ryanair’s pilots – to the tune of 140!
So who’s telling porkies here?
Meantime, guess who’s losing customers in droves and who’s first in line for new bookings!
Boadicea's Chariot 
Apparently Norwegian are the definition of cheap and cheerful — Lyin’ Air not so much. I don’t know. I haven’t flown either, although I’m willing to give Norwegian a go in the right circumstances. I’ll be happy to report on Dodgy Al’s Bloody Awful next week after I defect to the UK from Drunky Junky’s Fantasy Euro Reich.
I read an article which said that Ryanair was complaining that ‘New Working Conditions’ meant that they didn’t have enough staff to fulfil their obligations – because all their staff needed to go on holiday…
So very interesting, Janus.
Was it not Ryanair that threatened to stop flying from the UK to Europe if Britain voted for Brexit? Apart from all the problems that I’ve read about this mob, I wouldn’t want to fly with them anyway!
I need to get from Amsterdam to the UK next year – and had already decided to boycott RyanAir. Any suggestions on a reliable, reasonably priced airline would be very welcome.
Boadicea, it may depend on where exactly in the UK you want to land. We have flown easyJet to Amsterdam. Barely has the pilot announced that we have reached our cruising altitude than he announces that we are starting our descent into Schipol – not one of my favourite airports. The night ferry crossing from Holland is quite relaxing, but I don’t suppose you’ll need to bring a car with you.
We are quite impressed with Monarch. We have used it twice this year, once to Alicante and once to Gibraltar. Punctual take-offs and early arrival, but it doesn’t have a wide range of destinations – yet.
Boadicea: KLM are generally pleasant enough and they have an excellent UK network.
I have been a loyal easyJetter for many years but Ryanair is now the only cheap airline serving Stansted and Luton – which usually suit my needs.
Boa, best really to avoid Schipol, Amsterdam altogether if you can. Brussels airport too. Go for Eurostar from Brussels – https://www.eurostar.com/be-en/calendar/brussels-london
I think we’re going through a period of pilot shortage. These used to occur about every five years although I don’t know what the cycle is these days. Requirements from abinitio have been cut (as far as I can see) to the absolute minimum but even that hasn’t prevented a shortage. My guess is that Ryanair is haemorrhaging pilots as they leave for greener pastures and is suffering badly as a result. Apparently the company has a pretty toxic culture.
Janus, I don’t have a choice! I will end up in Amsterdam, get transport to the airport – and then I’m on my own! I certainly do not want to lug suitcases (however lightly I can pack them!) from Amsterdam to Brussels! There are times when I have done ‘cheap’, but not this time!
Jazz, yes, their boss’s excesses in the meeja and their customer-bashing tactics are coming home to roost. They’ll find that when the customer has had enough, it’s Armageddon time. The DM agrees!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4894824/Ryanair-accused-misleading-customers-compensation.html
Jazz: You are correct. Lyin’ Air are infamously toxic. They struggle to have any decent staff. Many employees only stick around long enough to gather enough experience to work for a better company. They survived only by undercutting and flying to and from airports under-served.
Boadicea: Then you could do worse than fly KLM. They’re pleasant, at least. Not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.
Janus: Is that any surprise? It was always a house of cards. Dodgy Al at BA would be wise to take note.
I think that all the flag carriers do respectable Schipol-Heathrow/Gatwick connections.
You get what you pay for: if it wasn’t for airlines like Ryan Air and Easy Jet we wouldn’t have the choice or the variety of locations we have now. Cheap and safe is all that matters….but in typical ‘whinge’ culture the masses complain when they don’t get a perfect service having paid next to nothing. These airlines make their money through cargo anyway so don’t care much for passengers.
Interestingly EasyJet have just had a two part documentary on ITV showing their pilot training program as they recruit 300 pilots this year. So they clearly aren’t recruiting from qualified Ryan Air pilots.
I’ve flown Ryan Air, EasyJet, Norwegian, FlyBe and Jet2. They all much of a muchness but they get you there in cramped seats and over expensive food.
If you want decent customer service, don’t fly a cheap airline! Or Qantas.
Boa – you won’t notice a difference between any of the airlines – it is a short flight either way and all the airports are overcrowded and dirty. I’d choose Eurostar, but would need to re-mortgage first!
Apparently all Ryanair pilots are self employed, they all have service companies which I suppose invoice Ryanair for work carried out. This is akin to people being employed through an agency. It suits employers as they have virtually no responsibility towards the ’employee’ and can hire and fire at will with no repercussions. However it also works the other way, the employee can walk away from the company. I guess this is what has happened. It will be interesting to see if O’Leary can climb out of this particular hole. or, is this a ‘Ratner moment’ as was suggested on LBC this morning.
Cuprum: Nice to see you again!
Hi Cuprum – Good to see you!
I couldn’t agree more – if you pay next to nothing – expect next to nothing in return! And I will never fly Qantas, since my experience has been to pay a lot for very little!
I’m still debating whether to take a few days in Amsterdam before heading for the UK. My theory, at this time in my life, is that I may not have the opportunity to walk that way again…
I shall have to think very carefully! My flight back to Oz goes via Zurich – do I want to stop there as well? Decisions, decisions!
Cuprum, hi!! Akshully 39 euros for Brussels-London is very competitive.
Boa, for me Amsterdam is worth a visit just to see van Goch and Rembrandt (et al.) originals.
Boadicea: Zurich makes Sydney’s prices seem positively Indonesian! It’s a pretty city, but prepared to be paid out the nose for the privilege of being there!
Janus: Agreed. The architecture is second to none.
As Sam said: “The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.”
As a footnote, maybe O’Leary is charmed. Monarch seems to have presented him with a fleet-load of unemployed pilots!