Ryanair has again stoked controversy with the release of another charity calendar featuring young female crew in swimwear.

The airline is hoping that the calendar of its bikini-clad staff will raise €100,000 for Tafel, a German social welfare charity, but has for the third year running had to defend the initiative against claims of outdated sexism.

Ten thousand copies of the calendar, which costs £10, will go on sale on all Ryanair flights. Fans can also buy copies online from the Ryanair calendar website. All funds raised will go directly to Tafel.

The charity calendar partnership has been running since 2008 and Ryanair hopes to bring total proceeds from all calendar sales to date to over €400,000.

Tafel was chosen out of 400 charities which applied to be considered for the annual charity calendar partnership after 30 per cent of the 2010 calendar stock was sold in Germany. It is the first German charity to receive proceeds from the calendar. In previous years, Ryanair has supported Angels Quest, KIDS and the Dublin Simon community

Annual controversy over sexist images

The calendar which features young bikini clad cabin crew and refers to the women as ‘the girls’ has been branded demeaning and sexist by members of the public every year since it was first published.

The Institute for Women in Spain made an official complaint to Ryanair in 2008 after consumer group FACUA took offence at the calendar. The calendars which have shown ‘the girls’ posing by and inside aircraft have also sparked complaints that photos of male cabin crew should also be included.

Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary has brushed off the continued criticism of the calendar.

“Ryanair’s cabin crew stunners are delighted once again to strip off for charity and this year they’re doing it for the ‘Tafel’ charity in Germany. We hope that the 2011 Charity Calendar will raise up to €100,000 to help Tafel deliver even more food to people in need throughout Germany,” he said.
 
This is not the first time the airline has been involved in scandal. In 2008 the Advertising Standards Authority reprimanded it for producing an advert with a photograph of a girl dressed like a schoolgirl with the headline, “hottest back to school fares”. 

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