( Financial Times ) -- A survey of Ryanair pilots has found concerns about the low-cost carrier 's safety culture , and support for an inquiry by regulators . Ryanair , Europe 's largest budget airline by revenue , declined to comment on the survey on Sunday , but said it had an `` unblemished 29-year safety record '' . The survey was commissioned by the Ryanair Pilot Group , which is seeking to have the airline 's pilots represented by trade unions in negotiations on pay and working conditions . It contacted more than 1,000 captains and first officers at Ryanair -- more than one-third of the total number of pilots at the company . The survey was prompted by a warning in April by Ray Conway , Ryanair 's chief pilot and a senior manager , that any pilot signing a petition -- organised by the Ryanair Pilot Group and calling on regulators to evaluate whether the company 's employment model had an impact on the safety of flight operations -- would be liable for dismissal . Of those participating in the survey , 89 per cent said that , following this memorandum from Mr Conway , they did not consider that Ryanair had an open and transparent safety culture . Mr Conway said in his memo that any pilot who had legitimate safety concerns should raise them through Ryanair 's confidential safety reporting channel or with the Irish Aviation Authority . The survey found that 67 per cent did not feel comfortable raising safety issues through Ryanair 's internal reporting system . It also found 94 per cent believed regulators should conduct an inquiry into the impact of Ryanair 's employment practices on safety . Evert van Zwol , chairman of the Ryanair Pilot Group 's interim council , said it had a `` strong suspicion '' that the airline 's employment practices may be affecting flight safety , but had no proof , which explained why an inquiry was warranted by regulators . He added a majority of Ryanair 's pilots were not employed directly but instead hired through agencies , and expressed concerns about their terms and conditions , saying many have so-called zero-hours contracts where there are no guaranteed working hours . `` The results of the survey are reason for very great concern and call for immediate action [ by ] all involved parties , to get working on a solution and lowering these [ survey ] percentages sharply down , '' said Mr van Zwol . Ryanair said it would not comment on the Ryanair Pilot Group or its survey , which is due to be outlined in a Channel 4 `` Dispatches '' programme on Monday . It also would not comment on whether any of its pilots were on zero-hours contracts . Ryanair 's 2013 annual report said safety is the company 's `` primary priority '' , starting with the hiring and training of its pilots , flight attendants and maintenance staff . Employees earn productivity-based incentive payments , including some for pilots based on their number of flying hours . But the annual report said Ryanair pilots are subject to limits of 900 flying hours each financial year , as determined by Irish regulators . It added the average number of flying hours by pilots in 2013 was approximately 798 -- a 5 per cent decline compared to 2012 . © The Financial Times Limited 2013 .
Ryanair , Europe 's largest budget airline by revenue , declined to comment on the survey on Monday . More than 1,000 captains and first officers at the Ryanair Pilot Group -- More than 1,000 of the total number of pilots at the company . It also found 5 per cent believed an inquiry is needed into the impact of Ryanair 's employment practices on safety .