Sting operation alleges security, other lapses by Ryanair

Sting operation alleges security, other lapses by Ryanair

	Published : Sun, 12 Feb 2006 13:55 By : Phil Bateman Print this Story

LONDON: An undercover investigation by two television reporters claims to have brought out safety and security lapses on the part of budget airliner Ryanair. The footage, captured over five months by the two reporters, who got themselves trained as cabin crew with the airline at the Stansted airport, will be aired Monday under the Dispatches programme of Channel 4.

The documentary is said to contain pilots complaining about the number of hours they fly and cabin crew members taking quick naps, as well as security lapses where passengers are allowed in without passport checks in order to save time.

Details of the undercover operation and its findings have appeared in newspapers and on trailers on television for the documentary.

Ryanair denied the allegations in a published correspondence on its website Friday. The correspondence contained allegations about safety, security and staff training by the documentary's production company and the airline's rejoinders.

Ryanair said it has passed on the allegations to the aviation regulatory authorities, who have also dismissed the claims.

In a statement, the Dublin-based airline's chief executive Michael O'Leary said Ryanair operates to the highest European standards of safety and security.

A letter from the programme makers has raised mainly 30 concerns over the footage shot by the two reporters, whose names were revealed as Charlotte Smith and Mary Nash. These include evidence of vomit not being cleared up and a member of the cabin crew suggesting using after-shave to mask the stink, because there was not enough time to clean it.

O'Leary said he has not seen the programme, but has received a series of letters from the Dispatches production company, Steve Boulton Productions, "making a series of untrue and unsubstantiated claims which they have failed to support with any evidence".

Channel 4 has said it stood by the allegations, saying these are based on five months of undercover work.

Karen Edwards, who directed documentary, titled Ryanair: Caught Napping, said what is worrying is that people one is working with could be anybody. "Our reporters did their security checks properly but other cabin crew were given temporary passes to fly — and the password to get to the captain."