Ryanair today secured a High Court order restraining two members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA) and its British counterpart, BALPA, from deleting or destroying codenames used on the Ryanair European Pilots Association (REPA) website.
Ryanair claims that persons allegedly known to the defendants but unknown to the company are engaged in a concerted process of intimidation, bullying, harassment and criminal activity designed to dissuade pilots from taking up positions as pilots with a new aircraft fleet.
The order was made returnable for April 4th.
In its proceedings, Ryanair is seeking an order directing the defendants to disclose the details of the names and address of those are referred to by codenames on the REPA website.
Mr Richard Nesbitt SC, with Mr Martin Hayden SC, for Ryanair today told Mr Justice O'Sullivan the airline was in the process of converting their Dublin fleet to 737 800 aricraft and were seeking pilots.
However the company became aware in December 20004 of allegations of bullying and harassment of Ryanair pilots for the purpose of dissuading them from accepting positions in Dublin flying these aricraft.
While Ryanair could not access the websites allegedly concerned, it had obtained printouts of what purported to be communication betweeen members of REPA on the site.
In an affidavit, Mr Eddie Wilson, director of personnel with Ryanair, said a member of the REPA with the code name "ihateryanair" posted the following messages on the REPA website: "We are all united here ...everyone of one us. They are not welcome and they will know it as soon as they walk in. Considering slashing their tyres ... haven't decided yet"
"And yes these guys know exactly what they are walking into — morons".
Mr Wilson said he understood the references in the messages to "they" was to Ryanair pilots who were considering applying or who had applied to fly 737-800 in Dublin.
Another message on the REPA website allegedly says: "The really sad thing is that no-one likes a turncoat, neither the company or their friends because, if they will do it once, how can you trust that they will not do it again so for these guys they will have to spend the rest of their careers with the tag of being a turncoat and aviation as we all know is a small enough world so the tag will not be shaken off easily.
"So for these guys and gals - no excuses - we are all adults and make our decisions accordingly ... no need for slashing tyres ... they know they have let everybody down."
Mr Wilson said that while Ryanair accepted the rights of individuals to join trade unions if they wished, REPA was not a registered trade union. He said REPA was set up in October 2004 and its web site was designed to allow Ryanair pilots communicate with one another in a manner designed to obscure the identity of the person communicating through the use of code names and password procedures.