Following an investigation into claims that he had harassed female coworkers sexually, Ryanair fired its chief pilot.
His termination was announced to the staff by the airline, who cited "a pattern of repeated inappropriate and unacceptable behavior toward a number of female pilots" as the reason.
Aidan Murray, 58, was hired as the airline's chief pilot in 2020, according to reports.
On inquiries "relating to specific employees," Ryanair declined to comment.
According to The Independent, Mr. Murray is accused of harassing nine younger coworkers, including sending some of them texts that included comments about their bodies.
A second charge against Mr. Murray is changing the flight schedule to accommodate specific female pilots.
Mr. Murray's employment had been "terminated with immediate effect," according to a memo from Ryanair's chief people officer, Darrell Hughes.
His actions "broke our anti-harassment policy," according to an investigation. According to Ryanair, employees should be able to arrive at work "in a safe and secure environment.".
The brave people who came forward to help us with this investigation, Mr Hughes continued, "we would ask all of you to respect their privacy and integrity.".
Mr. Murray has seven days to file an appeal against his termination, according to The Financial Times.
The BBC has made an effort to reach Mr. Murray for comment.
The chief pilot's position is a crucial one. Both a highly skilled airline captain and manager, the holder is in charge of managing other pilots stationed at a hub airport.
They typically oversee matters like scheduling, training, and flight coordination in addition to taking care of personal matters. In disciplinary matters, they may additionally speak for the airline.
They consequently wield considerable influence over their fellow pilots, especially the junior ones vying for promotions.
That someone in this position might be abusing their authority and acting "inappropriate and unacceptable" toward female employees is a very serious accusation.
Remember that we haven't heard the opposing side of the story. However, it seems that those who have made public disclosures have been heard.
In light of this, it shouldn't be shocking that she was fired.
In an investigation last year into sexism and lack of diversity in airline pilot training, the Royal Aeronautical Society found "extremely concerning" reports of sexual harassment by many female pilots.
Despite the fact that many people complimented them on their training, there were reports of sexism and harassment, including "banter" and "uncomfortable advances from male trainers."
