Widespread Ryanair cancellations from September 2017 until March 2018

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

So no mention of union issues with rostering in your conversations with high level folk, grahame?

There are many posts on other forums from staff at the Greater Western TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) saying the issues of rostering, route knowledge maintenance and 'links' are a primary cause of the staff availability problems. ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) and the TOC management apparently at odds over these issues.

[grahame]

So no mention of union issues with rostering in your conversations with high level folk, grahame?

There are many posts on other forums from staff at the Greater Western TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) saying the issues of rostering, route knowledge maintenance and 'links' are a primary cause of the staff availability problems. ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) and the TOC management apparently at odds over these issues.

Indeed the issues is more complex than in the short "sound bite" I wrote. And we haven't touched on issues like the inevitable movement of technical staff at places like Old Oak Common that will be no more to other roles with a planned future ... I'm going to see what we hear back in terms of an official explanation rather than trying to read details and degrees of importance into conversations.

[IndustryInsider]

So no mention of union issues with rostering in your conversations with high level folk, grahame?

There are many posts on other forums from staff at the Greater Western TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) saying the issues of rostering, route knowledge maintenance and 'links' are a primary cause of the staff availability problems. ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) and the TOC management apparently at odds over these issues.

Certainly the LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) recent problems have largely been down to those issues you mention.

With union agreement, LTV drivers have just been offered an one-off payment to temporarily suspend some of their rostering conditions for three months and therefore create much more flexibility.  It is an optional thing, but I reckon a good majority will say 'yes'.  The agreement starts properly the week after next (though a small number of changes start from tomorrow), so I would expect a significant decrease in the number of cancellations from then.

Not sure if a similar deal has been offered to West drivers?

[JayMac]

A large pool of qualified pilots has just become available.

[LiskeardRich]

News this morning that Monarch have entered administration. Ryanair would surely look to offer jobs to affected pilots and crew?
All monarch services ceased as their licence terminated at midnight and wasn’t renewed.

[JayMac]

The pool of pilots suddenly on the market may not be a quick fix Ryanair's problems though.

Monarch's fleet was mostly A320s. Ryanair's 737s.

Will Ryanair offer jobs to Monarch Captains and FOs when they'll need to train them on 737s and offer full contracts? I suspect Ryanair will stick with its own zero hour cadet training.

[TonyK]

The pool of pilots suddenly on the market may not be a quick fix Ryanair's problems though.

Monarch's fleet was mostly A320s. Ryanair's 737s.

Will Ryanair offer jobs to Monarch Captains and FOs when they'll need to train them on 737s and offer full contracts? I suspect Ryanair will stick with its own zero hour cadet training.

Correct - Monarch had only one B738. The rest of the fleet was Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, so conversion training will be needed. That costs around €40,000.

[chrisr_75]

The pool of pilots suddenly on the market may not be a quick fix Ryanair's problems though.

Monarch's fleet was mostly A320s. Ryanair's 737s.

Will Ryanair offer jobs to Monarch Captains and FOs when they'll need to train them on 737s and offer full contracts? I suspect Ryanair will stick with its own zero hour cadet training.

Correct - Monarch had only one B738. The rest of the fleet was Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, so conversion training will be needed. That costs around €40,000.

There's also a fairly large fleet of Airbus aircraft just available to the market...no type ratings necessary!

[didcotdean]

There have been reports that British Airways and/or parent company IAG had been sniffing around the past week looking at the possibility of buying part of Monarch potentially before, but now after entering administration. Much better match on aircraft type, although I understand they were leases rather than being owned by Monarch itself.

[TonyK]

There's also a fairly large fleet of Airbus aircraft just available to the market...no type ratings necessary!

They would be a nuisance in a mixed fleet though. Ryanair have 397 B737-800s, and one B737-700. They have an order for another 175 B737s, so will want to sort out their staffing issues quickly. That includes 110 B737 MAX 200s.

[didcotdean]

Apparently around 10 Qatar Airways planes were flown to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) late last night; they are operating some of the rescue flights for British Airways, who in turn are chartered to Titan which holds the master contract with the CAA^» (Civil Aviation Authority - about).

The CAA obviously thought there wasn't much likelihood of Monarch's survival - indeed they effectively jacked up their prices so much at the weekend that no sensible person would have booked with them since Friday which may have been part of the management of the situation. 

[chrisr_75]

There's also a fairly large fleet of Airbus aircraft just available to the market...no type ratings necessary!

They would be a nuisance in a mixed fleet though. Ryanair have 397 B737-800s, and one B737-700. They have an order for another 175 B737s, so will want to sort out their staffing issues quickly. That includes 110 B737 MAX 200s.

Indeed, but it could be a ready made short term solution for MO'L, although somewhat into the league of fantasy on my part I suspect!

[JayMac]

Ryanair aren't hanging about. They have booked hotel conference facilities near major British airports, from Wednesday onwards, inviting Monarch flight crew (both pointy end and cabin) to come along to seek possible employment.

[chrisr_75]

Ryanair aren't hanging about. They have booked hotel conference facilities near major British airports, from Wednesday onwards, inviting Monarch flight crew (both pointy end and cabin) to come along to seek possible employment.

It couldn't be timed better. Remarkably lucky some might say...I did wonder when this episode first started if there was a sniff of a hint of this situation being engineered/predicted to some degree or another and I still have that hunch after this news about Monarch.

[Timmer]

It couldn't be timed better. Remarkably lucky some might say...I did wonder when this episode first started if there was a sniff of a hint of this situation being engineered/predicted to some degree or another and I still have that hunch after this news about Monarch.

Indeed, it will be good PR^▸ (Public Relations), recruiting crew to ensure they won't ever have to cut the timetable again and saving jobs. Couple that with some crazy fare offers and all will soon be back to normal at Ryanair.