Ryanair bans media from AGM amid pilots dispute
Ryanair has banned journalists from attending its AGM next week as the budget airline continues to reel from an ongoing dispute with its pilots.
Ryanair said no members of the media would be invited or admitted to the meeting on 20 September and that no press briefing would follow.
Read more: Ryanair cancelled 550 flights in August
It said this was to allow shareholders to “discuss matters freely with the board without these discussions being distorted for PR purposes”.
Ryanair has suffered weeks of negative headlines following a number of summer delays stemming from strikes by its pilots over pay and working conditions.
It also generated a backlash when a number of compensation cheques to customers bounced because they were unsigned.
Read more: Ryanair cabin crew unions threaten to strike later this month
There is also a growing movement among some shareholders to remove its non-executive chairman, David Bonderman, who is perceived as being too close to chief executive Michael O’Leary, and thus threatening the independence of the board.
The ITF and ETF unions are pushing for shareholders to vote against the re-election of Bonderman. The unions said they had “lost confidence in the ability of the current Ryanair leadership to make the transition to a sustainable, unionised business model” and asked shareholders to appoint an “independent” successor.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “Ryanair shareholders will pass all AGM resolutions by a large majority this year, including the nomination of directors and chairman, as they have done in all previous years. They appreciate how fortunate we are to have an outstanding chairman like David Bonderman guide the board and the airline.”
The firm's share price was down half a per cent this morning at €13.14.