Ryanair launches calendar flight of fancy for charity
The 12 glamorous attendants took time out from their daily grind serving low-fare passengers to pose for what promises to be the company’s bestselling Christmas charity calendar yet.
The funds raised from this year’s effort will go to the Simon Community and all involved are hopeful it will raise something similar to the €70,000 collected for the Angels Quest charity last year.
“The 2009 edition, which was shot in Spain in September, is even more colourful and sexy and should sell like hot cakes,” said a Ryanair spokeswoman.
The calendar can be purchased for €10 either directly on Ryanair flights or through the Ryanair.com website.
“It will make the ideal Christmas present or new year gift that will remind people not just of Europe’s favourite low fares airline, but the gorgeous girls you can meet on board Ryanair flights,” she added.
Ryanair has sent a free copy of the Cabin Crew 2009 charity calendar to the Spanish consumer watchdog FACUA, which last year objected to the airline’s 2008 calendar.
The airline has also sent a free copy of the new calendar to Swedish politician Birgitta Ohlsson, who recently criticised a Ryanair advertisement that featured a scantily clad model.
The Dublin Simon Community’s Sam McGuinness said: “With government funding constraints we now, more than ever, depend on the generosity of corporate supporters, such as Ryanair, to continue to provide services and shelter to those seeking our assistance.”
The Simon Community has said the number of people requiring the assistance of its Rough Sleeper Team rose 50% during the first half of 2008.
The charity said the Government should have done more during better economic times to eliminate homelessness as, it claimed, it is faced with the prospect of even more homeless people facing into tougher and less secure times during the global economic downturn.
