Ryanair

[Gremlin]

Originally Posted by heth

I hate flying so as soon as they open them doors I am off!!
Not as fast as I would like as my Diazapan is still in my system!!

Like you heth, I hate flying and also take Diazapan, plus other chemical heart muck. I hate flying so much that I gave it up in 1960. I was assistant dispatcher (chucking landrovers etc out the back on parachutes) flying Beverley's out of Old Sarum and we had to have the rear doors off because they couldn't be opened in flight. The toilet was a big Elsan pan behind a canvas sheet and in my case it was useful.
Maybe Ryanair is a bit better but I have been all over Europe and always gone via Channel and road.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

Just a little aside, I was sat down on one of the Canals here in Germany doing a bit of majit drowndin & this old German Boy came along with his Dog. We got to chatting & he asked if I was English as he'd picked up an accent as I spoke my bestest German.

I replied in the positive & he then asked where I was from, I told him Liverpool, he nodded sagely then began to reel off several Ports around UK although he'd never gotten to the "Pool". Much intrigued I asked if he'd been a Sailor in his younger days, he grinned, shook his head & said "Actually I was a Bomber pilot !"

Eeh, it's a funny old World ! As I know the German airports Ryan Air flew in & out of, it seem this Old Boy had been doing the same thing quite a few years earlier.

Yeh should have grinned,shook yer head n thrown him in the cut, saying swine yeh bombed our chippy.

[gynn]

Originally Posted by heth

Can I just ask while we are on this subject, why do people applause when the plane lands?

I remember going on a football supporters trip a few years ago, and someone came round collecting for a whip-round for the pilot!

[Boeing Guy]

Gynn that's very nice they have a whip rounds for the pilot's, there are two of us!!!
As to the clapping, I have never managed to figure that out, we used to get it in Morocco all the time!!!!
Now my passengers would complain if we spilt their gin and tonic on landing, but that's corporate aviation for you

Right some real info about the great Ryanair.

They fly Boeing 737-800's a new aircraft and are very safe and efficient.
To join as a pilot you pay them 50.00 euro to look at your CV, then you pay 500 euro for a assessment, if you pass this you have to pay 20-30,000 for your type rating for the aircraft. Because of this they only employ newly qualified pilots as first officers, so those of us with experience are not allowed in.
Once you pass this, you work for 6 months without pay. If you pass your final Line Check Flight, you do start to earn money.
But there are deductions for, uniform, recurrent training, id pass, car parking etc. There is no sick pay, no holiday pay and you only earn money when you work.
Your pay works like this, you are paid for the scheduled flight time of the flight. Not for turning up 1 hour before and not during the turn around.
The working hours are among the hardest in the business, they can change base on you at a moments notice.
If is not unheard of to see a Ryanair FO sleeping in his car.
You are classed as self employed and are responsible for your own taxes.
I once went to a employment seminar for Ryanair, their ethos is this 'TOUGH' I kid you not.

As for Captains, well mostly they are recruited from within, so a lot of the Captains are young with not much life experience. There are some from the outside of Ryanair. The set up is the same for them as well.
As to the cabin crew, well it is rather worse for them, they pay for everything as well, even for their initial training.
There is immense pressure on crew to sell and get things done.
But because you want to go to Paris for less than it costs you in petrol to get to Manchester Airport , they are there.

Passengers are treated like cattle, there is no customer service.
Yes they are safe, well flying nearly new aircraft helps low experienced crews because you have less problems.

I once flew as a passenger, in my company uniform, both the Capt and First Officer asked me if I could get them a job at my place.
I would not fly as a passenger with them again, or work for them ever.

To compare Ryanair with Easyjet or Jet 2 is wrong, the mentality to staff is a world apart.

So why do people work for Ryanair, well some of it is to do with newly qualified pilots are two a penny, thousands of them looking for jobs. Ryanair gives you the chance to fly Jet Aircraft and it is tempting. After that it is a place to work until you have experience for the next job.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with the crews, I know several good captains who are ex Ryanair and would go back if it was not for the internal politics.
The same with cabin crew.

But if you want a really cheap flight then by all means fly with them. I won't as I disagree with their working conditions etc

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Like you heth, I hate flying and also take Diazapan, plus other chemical heart muck. I hate flying so much that I gave it up in 1960. I was assistant dispatcher (chucking landrovers etc out the back on parachutes) flying Beverley's out of Old Sarum and we had to have the rear doors off because they couldn't be opened in flight. The toilet was a big Elsan pan behind a canvas sheet and in my case it was useful.
Maybe Ryanair is a bit better but I have been all over Europe and always gone via Channel and road.

There was me thinking Ryanair used outside toilets Gremlin

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by gynn

I remember going on a football supporters trip a few years ago, and someone came round collecting for a whip-round for the pilot!

Must have been very advisable to drop a tenner in the hat in that case gynn

[Gremlin]

Originally Posted by jaysay

There was me thinking Ryanair used outside toilets Gremlin

That must have been before my time jaysay but I have heard that some crew did use the outside toilet, there were two big handles to hang onto and you just put your bum over the door sill and let rip.

ps for boeing guy,

I still can't manage to get the 737 on the runway at Manchester after a flight from Birmingham, when is the next lesson.

[Less]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

I still can't manage to get the 737 on the runway at Manchester after a flight from Birmingham, when is the next lesson.

Perhaps this will help:-

[Boeing Guy]

Nah Less its more like this:

[Less]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Nah Less its more like this:

Excellent.

[Gremlin]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Nah Less its more like this:

Very fitting Simon, I agree with his last comment, "If it's outside Yorkshire it's not worth bloody visiting", maybe because I am a Yorkshire man.

I got your PM and have sent an email with new address.

[gynn]

One of the things I was warned to watch out for on Ryanair flights was the pilots use of the "Fasten Seat Belt" signs. They have a strange habit of lighting up just before the crew are due to come round with the scratch cards and perfumes, thus ensuring everybody is in their seats ready to pay up.

Lo and behold, it happened on my flights, and there wasn't a hint of turbulence about.

Is it true, Boeing Guy, that the seat belts signs are used in this way?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by gynn

One of the things I was warned to watch out for on Ryanair flights was the pilots use of the "Fasten Seat Belt" signs. They have a strange habit of lighting up just before the crew are due to come round with the scratch cards and perfumes, thus ensuring everybody is in their seats ready to pay up.

Lo and behold, it happened on my flights, and there wasn't a hint of turbulence about.

Is it true, Boeing Guy, that the seat belts signs are used in this way?

Wouldn't have mattered in my case gynn every time I took to the skies I kept my seat belt on all the time, jaysay and flying did not mix, in fact I was elated when my doc advised me not to fly again

[Less]

Originally Posted by jaysay

my doc advised me not to fly again

What? No more waccy baccie?

[heth]

Teeheehee!!!

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