Ryanair pilots' strike action will go ahead as planned today after the airline lost its High Court bid to force them to fly.
A judge sitting in London on Wednesday rejected an urgent application by the airline for an injunction against the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa). The action will affect dozens of flights to and from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Prestwick.
Following the court victory, Balpa said it had offered to reopen talks with Ryanair in a last ditch attempt to avoid industrial action over pay and conditions.
But the union said the airline had "rejected the offer out of hand" and that the strikes will go ahead as planned between 00.01am today until one minute before midnight on Friday.
Brian Strutton, Balpa general secretary, said: "Ryanair foolishly tried to stop our strike in the High Court today and failed.
"Despite that, we extended an olive branch to Ryanair as a way of getting back around the table and calling off strikes over the next two days. We are extremely disappointed that Ryanair have taken such a belligerent and negative stance.
"We have become used to their macho posturing, but sadly it is their passengers who will pay the price for Ryanair's attitude."
A second round of strikes is planned between September 2-4.
Just a few hours before the judgment in London, Ryanair won a similar legal move at the High Court in Dublin, meaning flights departing from Irish airports will operate as normal.
The airline urged the Forsa union, and what it described as "this small minority of very well paid Irish pilots" to resume mediation.
