As a female in aviation, it is difficult to be taken seriously when you have Virgin America flight attendants making fools of themselves on reality tv shows and now Ryan Air doing a sexy calender. There are better ways to give money to a charity. If that is the only theme the Ryan Air group could think of; than make it a calender with both sexy men and women. When you only objectify one sex, you show you could care less about half your customer base and employees.

Posted By Sue on December 3, 2009, 6:01 PM

Dear Sue,

The correct phrase is, "you COULDN'T care less" so please stop be critical of others who are at least bringing some enthusiasm back to an occupation dominated by pessimists like yourself.

Thank you.

Posted By Jeff on December 4, 2009, 1:51 AM

Sue,

'Fly Girls' has not aired yet. How can you say the F/A's from Virgin America are making fools of themselves prior to seeing an episode?

Posted By dave on December 4, 2009, 10:56 AM

Jeff, the correct grammar is, "stop BEING". Maybe next time you can offer a valid argument to the discussion at hand.

Posted By Karen on December 4, 2009, 11:44 AM

Ouch...let's not get all snitty here. No need for the semantics police. The link to How Americans Can Fly Ryanair is great and I had to print it out to follow up on the connections to Barcelona for a trip we are planning. As far as the calendar goes, I won't buy one, or even look at one for that matter, but if they had one featuring Irish beers I just might.

Posted By Tom B. on December 4, 2009, 4:35 PM

If the women actually volunteered to do it, I don't see what the problem is. I presume that if there had been no volunteers, the calendar would not work, right? I also presume that if they are volunteering, they are not getting paid. So if these women want to objectify themselves and display their half naked bodies to the world because they know they have nothing more to offer, why not let them?

As a female, I do think I would be rather irritated if I was in the field of aviation. But I'm not.

Posted By Lola on December 5, 2009, 5:17 PM

Really? It is disappointing to see that we still have progressed to the point where men understand the offensive of "the girls of...."

Posted By Alexis on December 5, 2009, 10:45 PM

Who cares? I say, "If you got it, flaunt it." So they're having some fun, big deal and they're making some money that is going to charity. If I had a body like that I'd flaunt it too!! YOU GO GIRLS!!

Posted By Vicki on December 7, 2009, 4:31 PM

800 of the 4,000 employees volunteered for the calendar? Wow. I have a feeling that this method of raising money for charity isn't very controversial in Europe.

Posted By Bryan on December 14, 2009, 11:19 AM

Imagine 20 % of the workforce at your place of work, all of them female, volunteered to pose near-nude for a calendar, and you knew who they all were. How would you treat them differently from that point on? How would you treat the ones who did pose? Would you respect them? Would you care what they had to say in meetings?

Say you recognized them on your flight (assuming they are still employed)...Would you follow their instructions if your PLANE WERE CRASHING???

Food for thought, and I am female, and I am sickened by this. Women have been setting themselves BACK decades FOR about the last 2 decades now and I don't understand it at all.

Posted By thepixinator on December 14, 2009, 12:11 PM

An attractive, trim woman is a creation of beauty in the eyes of most men, and probably many women. If they perform the assigned tasks at work they should not be subject to criticism. Those who find the calendar offensive should just avoid looking at it.Being featured on the calendar is probably good for their attitude at work, too. As a man in his eighties, may I never cease to appreciate good looking, charming, intelligent women !

Posted By Harding Reemsnyder on December 14, 2009, 1:30 PM

I am a female pilot who was asked to pose for Playboy back when it was featuring women in male dominated careers many years ago. I chose not to. NOT because I have an issue with men wanting to look at women, NOT because I have an issue with women wanting to pose. I chose not to because unfortunately male dominated fields are still very difficult for women to get ahead in and to pose would have degraded my ability (and others in a similar position) to be taken seriously and forge ahead. I am extremely disappointed that Ryan Air did chose to feature only women. It degrades those wanting to be taken seriously. If you are not in the 'game' you wouldn't understand. -S

Posted By Sue on December 14, 2009, 6:49 PM

Sue, I'm with you on this. It's interesting when a woman is critical of these cliched images that we're inundated with that woman is dismissed as an "angry, ugly, uptight feminist". It's those same people who balk at the suggestion of also showing sexy, attractive men. If those people can't handle equal opportunity "sexiness" then just don't start bashing people who criticize the imbalance.

That Dove commerical hits the nail on the head, big time.

Posted By M on December 17, 2009, 10:59 AM

I think there's no problem with it - and I certainly wouldn't lose any respect for an individual who chooses to model - as a matter of fact, I think that EVERYONE should model for some sexy pics when they're young and pretty - you'll be happy to have those pics later!
However, I also think they should have had a calendar with men as well - it's not like putting hunky guys on a calendar is a new and innovative idea!

Posted By e.vill. on December 24, 2009, 12:15 PM

So perhaps they just need to make "The Boys of Ryanair" as well. I'd have no problem with either. No idea why I'd take them less seriously either. It's all good fun!

Posted By Kevin on December 24, 2009, 12:21 PM

If it's all good, harmless fun how come CEO Michael O'Leary hasn't stripped off for one of these charity calendars yet? As a Boss, never expect your staff to do anything that you wouldn't do.

Posted By Irene on December 29, 2009, 2:40 PM

Exactly to Irene. If this is all fun and games, how come the people with all the power never play?

I find it pretty much impossible to believe that if you choose to pose provocatively for public consumption,it will not affect the way that the public perceives you.

I'm all for having some sexy photos taken of yourself, but when you agree to publish them, it completely changes the game.

Posted By Susan on September 23, 2010, 3:00 PM