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IAA reassures Spain on Ryanair safety

Tuesday, September 18 15:33:58

Irish authorities have given an assurance to Spain of the Irish Aviation Authority's (IAA) rigorous oversight of Ryanair's operations and on their satisfaction with Ryanair's safety standards which are on a par with the safest airlines in Europe.

The reassurance came after three Ryanair planes were last week forced to make emergency landings.

Spanish transport official Rafael Catala said Spain had requested immediate talks with European transport commissioner Siim Kallas and the Irish civil aviation authorities to discuss the safety of the Irish carrier.

A delegation from the Spanish Ministry of Development led by the Secretary General for Transport met representatives of the Irish Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, led by the Secretary General, with the Irish Aviation Authority in Dublin today to discuss oversight of Ryanair's operation in Spain.

The Irish authorities extended an invitation to the Spanish authorities to send an expert delegation to visit the IAA and to be briefed in detail on the oversight of Ryanair's operations.

It was recognised that there is already good cooperation between the IAA and its Spanish counterpart AESA and it was agreed that the two organisations will develop a Memorandum of Understanding on increased cooperation.

The Directors General of Civil Aviation in the two jurisdictions will also meet regularly.

As an example of this increased cooperation it was agreed that the circumstances of a specific incident in Madrid airport on 16th September would be jointly examined by IAA and AESA.

Ryanair is also under fire in Sweden after it allegedly cancelled a flight from Rijeka in Croatia to Stockholm, blaming high winds, but flew the aircraft empty two hours later. Passengers claim they were forced to find their own way home, having been abandoned by the airline.

A Ryanair flight from Bristol to Reus in Spain made an emergency landing in Barcelona on Saturday due to a problem with one of its engines, said Spanish authorities. On Sunday, a Ryanair flight from Paris to Tenerife was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Madrid due to what it described as "a small technical problem".

Last week, a Ryanair flight to Palma de Majorca also made an emergency landing due to turbulence. Two crew members and one passenger were reported slightly injured.