Ryanair's legal team is to challenge an April 17 ruling by an Amsterdam court against an earlier lawsuit filed by the Irish carrier against Dutch TV station KRO. The court found that the KRO documentary "Mayday Mayday" did have sufficient evidence to support its report into alleged low fuel reserves during three different emergency landings by Ryanair aircraft in Valencia, Spain back in July 2012.

The TV program, which aired in 2013, featured Ryanair pilots expressing concerns about an alleged culture of fear in the company that would penalize them or pressure them to fly even when they were sick or fatigued. The pilots said that the company exerted pressure on them to minimize the amount of fuel they carried on board to control costs. The pilots said they believed that policy jeopardized safety.

"We have instructed our lawyers to immediately appeal this bizarre decision," said Ryanair in a statement. "It is unacceptable that KRO can broadcast these false claims which have already been dismissed by relevant authorities." 

Ryanair denied the allegations made in the documentary and requested that the TV station rectify statements made in the show. It then initiated legal action, accusing KRO of unlawful and negligent conduct. The Irish Aviation Authority has previously investigated the emergency landings and found that Ryanair did not violate safety standards.