Ryanair sues former pilot for defamation

Employee defending action over comments made in TV programme

Ryanair is suing a former pilot for defamation over remarks which the airline alleges wrongly meant it compromises the lives and safety of its passengers.

Ian Somner is defending the action on grounds that what he said was “honest opinion” pertaining to a matter of public interest — the alleged “adverse effect” of Ryanair’s corporate culture on passenger safety.

He is also pleading it is true to state the corporate culture, management structure, and way Ryanair deals with its staff jeopardises the safety of passengers by placing pilots under abnormal stress and pressure. Ryanair, he claims, reacts in a “very aggressive and angry” manner to any perception of criticism so pilots are fearful to raise issues.

He also pleads it is true the chances of being involved in a serious incident or accident on Ryanair are greater than on other airlines and it is an airline that should be avoided.

He denies Ryanair’s claim that his remarks, made in a Dutch TV programme, meant or could be understood to mean a serious incident or accident on Ryanair “is inevitable”.

The defamation case against Mr Somner, with an address in Edinburgh, arises from remarks by him during a two-part TV documentary entitled Mayday! Mayday!, broadcast on the internet by KRO, on December 28, 2012, and January 3, 2013.

Mr Somner worked as a pilot with Ryanair between 2004 and 2011, operating from bases in London and Edinburgh. Ryanair claims he was certified medically unfit to fly in February 2011 and it paid him 129 days sick pay until he resigned in September 2011.

The case came before Mr Justice Michael Peart yesterday when Mr Fanning sought pre-trial orders requiring Ryanair to discover documents concerning its fuel and pilot hiring policies and its corporate culture.

His side wanted the pilot hiring policies in the context of Mr Somner’s claim it hires young and inexperienced pilots and that a practise of basing pilots away from their homes adds to stress, counsel said.

Tom Hogan, counsel for Ryanair, opposed the application, contending Mr Somner is on an impermissible “fishing” expedition and was seeking documents on issues, including relating to fuel policies, when he had not directly referred to fuel in his remarks on the TV programme.

Mr Justice Peart reserved judgment on the discovery issues to later this month when he will also rule on discovery matters in separate defamation proceedings by Ryanair against Channel 4.