Ryanair did not accept the results of an internet survey among its pilots about their attitudes to safety reporting procedures because they were anonymous and unverified, the company's HR director, Darrell Hughes, told the High Court.

Ryanair yesterday secured yet another acknowledgement from a media outlet in the High Court of the quality of its safety record.

The planned strike by Aer Arann pilots over pay, which had threatened to ground dozens of flights from next Tuesday, has been called off.

Ryanair has sacked a pilot who appeared on a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary on Monday night, which raised concerns over fuel policies and safety at the airline.