http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0712/ryanair.htmlHigh Court dismisses Ryanair application
12 July 2006 13:42
The High Court has dismissed an application by Ryanair seeking disclosure of the identities of pilots using a website set up by the Ryanair European Pilots' Association.
Ryanair has contended that some of their pilots had been intimidated by postings by anonymous individuals using codenames.
However, Mr Justice Tom Smyth refused to allow the identities to be revealed.
He described the evidence of some Ryanair management witnesses as 'baseless' and 'false'.
In 2004, Ryanair told pilots they would have to pay re-training costs of €15,000 if the airline were forced to negotiate with unions during the following five years.
Shortly afterwards, the REPA set up a website to allow pilots to communicate anonymously, using codenames including 'ihateryanair' and 'cantfly-wontfly'.
Ryanair claimed the website was being used to intimidate pilots not to sign up to the retraining terms and called in the gardaà to investigate.
They went to the High Court to force disclosure of the real identities of pilots using the website.
In dismissing the Ryanair application, Mr Justice Tom Smyth described the original terms for retraining including the €15,000 bond as irrational and unjust, saying these 'most onerous' conditions bore all the hallmarks of oppression.
He pointed out that pilots called by Ryanair to give evidence of intimidation had not given any such evidence. He said the only evidence of intimidation related to the conduct of the airline.
He found there was no conspiracy by the pilots, who had engaged in nothing unlawful, and said Ryanair had suffered no actionable wrong.
The Irish Airline Pilots' Association welcomed the ruling as a vindication, and called on the board of Ryanair to investigate the conduct of management.
Der Richter fand ziemlich klare Worte zum Verhalten von Ryanair:
Presented a Hobsons choice
Onerous
Irrational
Unjust
Bearing all the hallmarks of oppression
