Press Release

Worker Suspended For Thousands Of Pounds Of Accidental Damage To Ryanair Jet

22 December 2005

GMB blames Ryanair’s 25 minute turnaround time for putting pressure on ramp staff to cut corners

GMB member Colin Auger has been suspended from work at Stansted Airport and is due to be disciplined on Friday 30th  December 2005 for accidentally causing thousands of pounds of damage to a Ryanair Bowing 737 800 series. Other companies at Stansted retrain staff and do not discipline them in the event of accidentally damage to aircraft.

Colin works as a Team Leader for Swissport, the Stansted ground services provider, which is contacted to service Ryan Air flights. On 4 December Colin misjudged his approach and accidentally drove the passenger steps into the jet causing damage to the wing of the plane. Colin has a completely clean work record and has never been involved in an accident before.

Other GMB members working on the ramp at Stansted believe that there are a disproportionate amount of accidents involving Ryanair aircraft compared with other airlines because of the 25 minutes turnaround time demanded by Ryanair. This is compared to 45 minutes allowed by other airlines to turn the same sized aircraft around ready for its next flight. Staffs who fail to meet the 25 minute turnaround deadline are liable to be disciplined.

Colin, aged 33 from Harlow Essex, is married with two young children. His wife also works at Stansted for Swissport. Colin’s family fears that if he is dismissed then his wife will also lose her job as she will be unable to get to the airport. Colin’s colleagues on the ramp at Swissport/Stansted are outraged by the fact that Colin has been suspended and could be dismissed for accidentally damaging an aircraft.

Gary Pearce, GMB Organiser said, “It’s for Ryanair to look again at the 25 minute turnaround time required on their contract which causes that ground support staff  to have to rush and so accidents are much more likely. There could even be a case for saying that safety could be compromised in Ryanair’s relentless pursuit of profit. The longer a plane is on the ground the less money it is earning.

Other companies at Stansted retrain staff and not discipline them in the event of accidentally damage to aircraft. That unfortunately is not the Ryanair way and GMB is very concerned about this disciplinary action against Colin and the worry it is causing his family in the run up to Christmas and the New Year.”