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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Saffron Otter

Ryanair pilot September strikes update: Airline says flights will operate as scheduled

A Ryanair pilot strike will take place again next week - but the airline says it expects all UK flights to operate as scheduled.

The strikes by the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) will see members protesting about pay and working conditions on Monday September 2, Tuesday September 3 and Wednesday September 4.

But the budget airline said that they "do not expect any pilot strike disruptions to our schedule to/from our UK airports".

The airline said in a statement on their website: "Thanks to the efforts of over 95 per cent of our UK pilots who have confirmed that they will work their rosters, and will not support this failed 3rd BALPA strike action.

"We do not expect any pilot strike disruptions to our schedule to/from our UK airports on Mon 2, Tues 3 & Wed 4 Sept next."

Ryanair went on to give a further message of gratitude on behalf of the customers headed on their summer holidays.

"On behalf of our customers and their families, we wish to sincerely thank all our UK pilots who have not supported this BALPA strike, and have confirmed they will work as rostered to protect the flights and travel plans of our UK customers and their families over the first week of Sept," the airline said.

The airline expects all UK flight to operate as scheduled (Rui Vieira/PA Wire)

Ryanair confirmed that they have invited the pilot trade union to meet to "resume negotiations," on multiple occasions to "call off these unsupported and failed pilot strikes", but BALPA have "refused" to accept these invitations.

The latest strikes come a week after the budget airline lost its High Court bid to impose an injunction on staff planning to walk out of their jobs for 48-hours from 12.01am on Thursday, August 22.

However, Ryanair's pilots in Ireland were blocked from strike action.

A statement from Ryanair published on Wednesday, August 21, said: "Ryanair regrets the decision by less than 30% of our highly paid UK pilots to vote for strikes on Thurs 22nd & Fri 23rd August, in support of unreasonable pay demands that Captains pay be DOUBLED from a current £170,000 p.a. to over £375,700 p.a., just 9 weeks before BREXIT, which could severely damage Ryanair's business and UK pilot jobs."

The airline again thanked the majority of their UK based pilots for their "volunteerism" in order to keep its full schedule of flights to/from UK airports in operation on Thursday 22 and Friday 23.

BALPA reported that members voted by 4-1 to back industrial action on a 72 per cent turnout.

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