A former Ryanair cabin crew member who was sacked for falling asleep during a flight has taken an unfair dismissal case against the airline.
Dublin woman Vanessa Redmond denies falling asleep while on duty.
She says she was denied natural justice in the company's dismissal procedure.
Ryanair claims Vanessa Redmond was guilty of gross misconduct and that she compromised passenger safety on a flight to Durham in England in May 2005.
It is claimed that she closed off the first row of seats and during the flight sat in that row reading a book and that she fell asleep.
It is also claimed that she delegated crucial security checks to a junior member of staff who had only been with the airline a few days.
Ms Redmond was reported by a Ryanair employee whose partner was a passenger on the flight. His story was confirmed by a junior cabin crew member.
Ms Redmond was not told who the passenger was, but Ryanair said this was not unusual.
The company often recruits what it calls ‘mystery passengers’ who, in return for free flights, report on cabin crew.
While this passenger’s report was unsolicited, his findings were recorded on a mystery passenger report form.
Ms Redmond admits blocking off the first row but denies falling asleep. At a disciplinary hearing she said the book she was reading was an operations manual.
Her union representatives described the claims as absurd and said the exemplary employee with six years experience had been treated harshly.
They also said they will demonstrate how she was denied natural justice.
The hearing has now been adjourned until 31 July when it is expected to continue for several days.
