Ryanair threatens 200 job cuts at Dublin

Irish low fare carrier Ryanair announced today the intention to cut 200 jobs at Dublin, and reduce its flying schedule from that airport in order to contain costs in the face of declining passenger traffic. Ryanair blamed the "collapse" of passenger traffic at Dublin on the Dublin Airport Authority's rising fees, and "the Irish Government’s crazy decision to impose a €10 tourist tax from 30th March." The airline also plans to reduce the number of aircraft based at Dublin from 22 to 18.

Ryanair proposes to eliminate jobs among pilots, cabin crew, and engineers based at Dublin. It was unclear whether the 200 job cuts at Dublin would entail layoffs, or if those affected would be offered transfers to other bases.

According to the Irish Times, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary told a news conference in Dublin the company would also be seeking pay cuts of up to 10 per cent among staff.

Ryanair had announced earlier that 100 jobs would be cut at Shannon. The airline plans to eliminate five routes from Shannon and reduce the number of aircraft based there from six to four from the end of March.

Ryanair Flight FR4102 Emergency at Rome-Ciampino: Multiple Bird Strikes

Early this morning, Nov. 10, 2008, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft (registration EI-DYG) operated by Ryanair suffered a multiple bird strike, ingesting birds into both engines, while on approach to Rome-Ciampino Airport. Ryanair Flight FR4102 made an emergency landing at Ciampino, during which "the left-hand main landing-gear suffered substantial damage," according to the airline. The aircraft was arriving from Frankfurt-Hahn with six crew members and 166 passengers on board. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft via slides onto the runway. There were no reports of serious injuries, although two cabin crew members and eight passengers were reportedly taken to a hospital for medical attention.

News photos of the accident site show the left main landing gear collapsed, and the number one engine nacelle resting on the runway. The "multiple bird strike" phrase may be an understatement, judging from the large number of blood splotches on the radome and wing slats!

Ciampino Airport closed after the accident, and inbound flights were diverted to Rome's Fiumicino Airport.

I will follow up with more details as they become available.

UPDATE Nov. 11, 2008: The Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV), the Italian flight safety agency, issued a brief statement regarding the Ryanair accident at Rome-Ciampino. The statement confirms what was already known: that a large flock of birds struck the aircraft's wing surfaces and engines as it was landing. (For what it's worth, the statement identified the birds as starlings.) The statement mentioned "extensive damage" to the aircraft's left wing, landing gear, and fuselage.

The so-called "black boxes," i.e., the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, have been retrieved from the accident aircraft and are undergoing data analysis. ANSV is interviewing the crew.

That's all that the ANSV says so far.

Unofficial buzz that I am hearing says that the sequence of events went something like this: the aircraft was on short finals when an engine flamed out due to bird strike; crew initiated a go-around, but at about the same time, the second engine flamed out as well -- so they landed, albeit a little hard. Okay, maybe really hard.

Based on everything I've heard and read, the crew did a fantastic job. They had an enormous amount on their plate very suddenly -- and at just a couple hundred feet above the ground they had to make a split-second decision, with virtually no time to ponder what to do or consult manuals, checklists, or what have you. They landed the plane, and they brought it to a halt on the runway. The airframe suffered some major dings, but there were no fatalities or major injuries to the passengers and crew. I say, "Well done!"

[Photo Source]

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 loses flight display

I wonder what this is all about: A very brief report on the NTSB website states that a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 experienced a "partial, temporary loss of flight displays" after departure from Stansted just before noon on May 13, 2007. The reports says that the flight crew declared a PAN and returned to Stansted instead of continuing on to its destination, Stockholm.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch in the United Kingdom is conducting the investigation.