Ryanair is to be investigated by the Irish and Spanish aviation authorities following accusations that the budget airline is flying planes with near-empty fuel tanks in order to cut costs.
Ryanair denies any wrong-doing, insisting its planes are safe and carry sufficient fuel reserves.
The investigation relates specifically to the diversion to Madrid’s Barajas airport of a Ryanair flight from Paris to Tenerife on Sunday, but it follows a number incidents in Spanish airspace involving Ryanair, including a number where flights have declared emergencies and demanded to land because they were running low on fuel.
Ryanair has also rejected claims by the Irish pilots’ union (IALPA) that it pressures flight crew to carry the minimum amount of fuel required under European regulations.
One can imagine that when a minimum level (of anything) is stipulated by law or regulation, the majority will only adhere to that legal or regulated minimum. One would assume, however, that ‘minimum’ requirements would be set to allow sufficient leeway for what one might call ‘routine emergencies’ or possible error.