Ryanair is threatening to sack pilots who fail to abide by its safety regulations in the wake of a series of dangerous approaches to airports.

The budget airline's chief executive Michael O'Leary has issued a memo to pilots warning that they will be demoted the first time they make a dangerous approach, and sacked for a second offence.

The warning follows three serious incidents in less than a year, and the fourth in two years, involving a Ryanair jet approaching an airport too fast or at the wrong height and being forced to abort landing.

In the latest incident to emerge, an aircraft flew so low over rooftops that it triggered two warnings in the cockpit and 16 complaints from alarmed residents.

All Ryanair staff are under pressure to meet turnaround times of only 25 minutes, the tightest in the industry, and pilot unions say this can lead to mistakes.

The memo, dated September 25 2006, a copy of which has been obtained by The Times, states that a new disciplinary procedure is being introduced in response to a series of "high energy approach incidents over the past two years".

It adds: "From 25th September 2006, any event involving any of our aircraft passing the 500ft landing-gate incorrectly configured or at excessive speed ... - and which does not perform a go-around - will automatically lead to both crew members being demoted in the case of their first transgression of this policy.

"In the event of a second transgression of this policy, the relevant crew member will be automatically dismissed."

Pilot unions fear the memo will force the problem underground, with pilots too frightened of losing their jobs to cooperate with efforts to find out why the incidents are happening.

A Ryanair spokeswoman told PA: "The board of Ryanair takes safety extremely seriously.

"Safety is Ryanair's number one priority. Our safety instruction to all pilots is if in doubt you must perform a go-around - that is, a second approach of the airport.
"We expect all of our pilots to follow this safety guidance at all times. "This memo underlines the commitment of Ryanair and its pilots to passenger safety."