Ryanair fires Chief Pilot, female colleagues offered counselling

Ryanair fires Chief Pilot Aidan Murray
By Linsey McNeill
15/06/2023
Home » Ryanair fires Chief Pilot, female colleagues offered counselling

Ryanair has sacked its chief pilot and provided counselling to female colleagues affected by his alleged ‘inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour’.

Aidan Murray, pictured fourth from left, was fired on Tuesday evening following a two-week investigation into alleged breaches of Ryanair’s anti-harassment policies, according to the Telegraph.

It is claimed that the 58-year-old chief pilot sent messages to junior female pilots saying they ‘had an amazing body’ and ‘an amazing ass’.

He is also accused of asking them for photos of their bodies, promising that they wouldn’t be shared.

A total of eight female pilots, aged between 21 and 32, gave evidence alleging misconduct during the investigation into Mr Murray, which was sparked by an anonymous complaint.

The Chief Pilot is also accused of repeatedly changing flight rosters so that he regularly flew with some of the women.

The allegations of misconduct are believed to have taken place over the last 12 to 18 months, according to the Telegraph, after Mr Murray was appointed Chief Pilot in the middle of 2020.

He has been flying with Ryanair for 28 years.

As a result of his alleged harassment, one female pilot is understood to have left the airline, one has requested a change of base and two others have asked for roster changes, said the Telegraph.

The airline is thought to have investigated whether the behaviour was more widespread among senior pilots, but the eight women who provided evidence said no other pilots had acted in a similar fashion.

Staff were told of his dismissal in an email yesterday by Chief People Officer Darrell Hughes, who said the airline had ‘identified a pattern of repeated inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour towards a number of female junior pilots’.

Mr Murray can appeal against his dismissal until early next week.

Ryanair told Travel Gossip: “We do not comment on queries relating to individual employees.”

Photo shows Aidan Murray, fourth from left, welcoming new female pilots to Ryanair

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