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Ryanair lodges formal complaint after French police raid Marseilles offices Ryanair lodges formal complaint after French police raid Marseilles offices
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Ryanair has lodged a formal complaint with the European commission after French police raided its Marseille offices as part of a new inquiry into the low cost airline's operations in France. Ryanair has lodged a formal complaint with the European commission after French police raided its Marseille offices as part of an new inquiry into the low cost airline's operations in France.
The Dublin-based company has sent protest letters to Brussels, the Irish government and the French embassy in Dublin claiming it is being unjustly targeted. "It is unacceptable that a European airline that is conforming perfectly with European employment law in the air sector should be hindered in an unfair and illegal way by magistrates and local gendarmes in Marseille," it wrote.The Dublin-based company has sent protest letters to Brussels, the Irish government and the French embassy in Dublin claiming it is being unjustly targeted. "It is unacceptable that a European airline that is conforming perfectly with European employment law in the air sector should be hindered in an unfair and illegal way by magistrates and local gendarmes in Marseille," it wrote.
Dominique Moyal, however, a public prosecutor, told Le Monde newspaper that the search was part of a "legal inquiry that was opened several months ago" into whether Ryanair continued to flout French employment law. The airline was fined €200,000 (£162,000) and ordered to pay almost €9m in interest and damages in October 2013 after being convicted in a French court of breaching the law by employing its 127 French-based staff on Irish contracts. Dominique Moyal, however, a public prosecutor, told Le Monde newspaper that the search was part of a "legal inquiry that was opened several months ago" into whether Ryanair continued to flout French employment law.
Ryanair argued that the arrangement complied with EU rules on workers' mobility and has appealed against the judgement. The airline also closed its base in Marseille in 2011 in retaliation, and has since only operated flights during the summer. The airline was fined €200,000 (£162,000) and ordered to pay almost €9m in interest and damages in October 2013 after being convicted in a French court of breaching the law by employing its 127 French-based staff on Irish contracts.
Ryanair argued that the arrangement complied with EU rules on workers' mobility and has appealed against the judgment.
The airline closed its base in Marseille in 2011, and has since only operated flights during the summer.
The new inquiry was launched after a complaint by the French pilots' union.The new inquiry was launched after a complaint by the French pilots' union.
Another outpost of Ryanair's European network also suffered a rebellion this week when a group of pilots used the Berlin air show to voice their frustrations with their employer. At an event organised by the German pilots' union, speakers said every third pilot was planning to leave the company within a year, complaining of a lack of respect from management. Another outpost of Ryanair's European network suffered a rebellion this week when a group of pilots used the Berlin air show to voice their complaints against the airline.
According to the union, 95% of Ryanair pilots are unable to take regular holidays and receive poor pay. It claimed that they earn around €500 a month after taxes and fees are deducted. Five hundred pilots have left the company in the last 18 months, according to a survey presented at the event. At an event speakers said a third of the pilots planned to leave the company within a year, complaining of a lack of respect from management.
The pilots also criticised the airline's refusal to recognise the Ryanair Pilots Group, which claims to represent 50% of those working for the airline. Ryanair has refused to comment on the allegations, claiming the pilots' survey had been carried out by a company working with direct competitors such as Air France, KLM and Aer Lingus. According to German reports, speakers at the event said 95% of Ryanair pilots are unable to take regular holidays and receive poor pay after taxes and fees are deducted from their gross salary. Five hundred pilots have left the company in the last 18 months, according to a survey presented at the event.
Ryanair did, however, acknowledge this week that it had doen too little to assuage passengers' concerns. The airline said it was "asleep at the wheel" as passenger disquiet grew over its customer service standards. Its deputy chief executive, Howard Millar, made the admission as the company reported its first drop in annual profits in five years, down 8% to €523m. "The low fares industry has evolved. It wasn't enough to do just low fares. During that period we weren't listening or were asleep at the wheel, but we have learned a lot," Millar said. Ryanair said the claims reported from the event were false and that the survey of pilots had been carried out by a company run by the pilots of direct competitors Air France, KLM and Aer Lingus. Ryanair did, however, acknowledge this week that it had done too little to assuage passengers' concerns.
Ryanair remains a fast-growing business. It flew 81.7 million people last year and expects a 4% increase in passenger numbers this year. . Some analysts, however, have expressed concern that the airline's costs are rising, including the budget for marketing campaigns to trumpet its reformed image. The airline said it was "asleep at the wheel" as passenger disquiet grew over its customer service standards.
Its deputy chief executive, Howard Millar, made the admission as the company reported its first drop in annual profits in five years, down 8% to €523m amid downward pressure on fares across the industry. "The low fares industry has evolved. It wasn't enough to do just low fares. During that period we weren't listening or were asleep at the wheel, but we have learned a lot," Millar said.
Ryanair remains a fast-growing business. It flew 81.7 million people last year and expects a 4% increase in passengers this year. Some analysts, however, have expressed concern that the airline's costs are rising, including the budget for marketing campaigns to trumpet its reformed image.
This article was amended on May 23 to incorporate comments by Ryanair