On Channel 6 (LaSexta) at 10.20pm.  The programme will 'analyse the controversy surrounding the safety of Ryanair flights.  Three emergency landings due to lack of fuel have put the airline in the spotlight'.

Gloria Serra y el equipo del programa se trasladan al horario estelar de laSexta con un reportaje que analiza la polémica sobre la seguridad de los vuelos de Ryanair. Tres aterrizajes de emergencia por falta de combustible ponen a la compañía aérea en el punto de mira.

As we don't have a TV, can you tell me if Ryanair get a fair hearing!! ::)

What ever next,all flights arriving on time,pay per poo,standing room only......anything to keep them in the spotlight

No, they most certainly didn't get a fair hearing - ended up feeling almost sorry for them by the end of the programme! 

Petty things like the fact that they save money on cleaners by having cabin crew quickly clean up between flights (which obviously saves us, the punters, paying more) were shown in a bad light.

Did anyone else see the programme?

I think the Spanish will continue to fly Ryanair, despite moaning about them.. I find there are more Spanish than English using the Stansted route.
Just wish people would stop moaning about Ryanair.
You have to read his small print, you agree  to his terms, and pay very little. What more do people want. If they don't like it !!! then they are welcome to fly another airline. Its O'Leary for me every time. [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]

The " emergencies " were due to thunderstorms over Madrid forced three separate FR flights to divert to their official alternative airports, known as 'Alternates'.  In this case all three had VLC Valencia as their alternate.  What happened then is open to conjecture but it could be considered that the approach controller at VLC decided that these three unwelcomed intrusions into his orderly day were, well, unwelcomed.  So he sent them off into a very wide orbit, round and round and round, while all the regular business landed and took off as normal.

What happened next?   Well after some time - the aircraft always expects ground control to give it advice and instruction - it does NOT ask for a progress report - after hearing nothing for some while, one then two then three in short order all start shouting they're running low on the sector fuel ( remember they have already burnt their diversion fuel) and the flight deck crews start wanting some attention please...PLEASE... like now !  please.  Suddenly the approach controller realised he/she had overstepped themselves and authorised an urgent approach and let down.  Fire crews would automatically have been scrambled....like, all of them... blues and twos...the hospitals would have received notification of an possible incident; civil emergency services' stand by would be upgraded. 

The prat was the approach controller.  Hopefully he was taken off watch for 'training'.

Ryanair (FR) as a company was in no way responsible for the incident and at no time were any passengers at risk. The safety margins in modern civil aviation are almost beyond comprehension; never, ever doubt the competence of the people up front. 

Always, gentle reader, always listen to the announcements and make bloody sure you know, when IT happens,  how to get out when the 20 year old cabin attendant has fainted.  I have absolutely no faith in FR cabin staff.  It's Easyjet for me every time, but then I know their training regime.

Well said Colin, I agree whole heartedly.

My Sister worked for British Airways cabin crew for 25 years, and it seemed was always on some refresher/training course.

My Son is a Squadron Leader in the RAF, and he said the same thing about the safety aspect of civilian airlines, he trains helicopter pilots, and his nickname when he was in Afghanistan was 'safety Dave'

So I reckon you're not far wrong in the assumption of incompetence with the Spanish air traffic control, can be added to the never ending list of incompetence of the Spanish Government allowing this beautiful country to fall into the abyss that it now finds itself in.

And don't they just love to blame others for their lax standards!  The programme featured a press conference clip of the woman minister (from the Ministerio de Fomento) stating she would not allow 'low cost' if this meant 'low safety' with the relevant words in English.