Television exposé 'vindicates' Ryanair

RYANAIR bosses last night said the airline's safety and security policies were vindicated by an undercover exposé on British television.

Channel 4's Dispatches programme sought to throw up questions over cabin crew training, security checks, tired air stewards and cleanliness.

But last night's broadcast, called Ryanair: Caught Napping, failed to provide anything but the mildest claims against the low-fares airline.

Significantly, the programme carried no comment from Britain or Ireland's aviation authorities, who Ryanair said had found no cause for concern following the allegations.

The most serious allegation centred on what Dispatches said was the lack of final passport and boarding card checks upon leaving the boarding gate.

But the programme-makers failed to mention full and rigorous checks are carried out beforehand at check-in, security and passport control.

They also showed a member of the cabin crew asleep on one flight while one of the undercover reporters, Charlotte Smith, complained of being tired.

After seeing footage of sleeping air stewards, aviation medical consultant Dr Ian Perry said: "They are fatigued enough to be asleep and they are not going to be alert and not able to handle crises, an accident or an emergency."

One pilot said how hard pilots worked but admitted the airline kept within the legal limit for his flying time of 900 hours a year.

Members of staff were caught on camera moaning about their employer but none raised any questions about security or safety.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said: "Ryanair operates to the highest safety standards in Europe. Dispatches' five-month undercover documentary could not produce evidence of any breaches of safety or security policies."