Ryanair pilots are planning two 48-hour strikes, threatening to disrupt the travel plans of thousands of passengers.
The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) has announced two walkouts in August and September, with UK-based pilots striking in a dispute over pay and working conditions.
An industrial action ballot held by the union saw 80% of pilots vote in favour of strike action, with a 72% turnout amongst BALPA members.
Brian Strutton, BALPA’s general secretary, said: “We have had no formal offer from Ryanair and it is imperative that we resolve this dispute urgently to avoid strike action.
“No pilot wants to spoil the public’s travel plans but at the moment it seems we have no choice.”
The announcement comes just days after the budget airline warned of job losses following a 21% fall in quarterly profits, as a result of rising costs for fuel and staff, and reduced ticket prices.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Ryanair strikes, and what to do if your flight has been affected:
Why are Ryanair pilots striking?
The strikes come after ongoing disagreements between union members and the airline over pensions, loss of license insurance, maternity benefits, allowances and pay structure.
In a statement released on Thursday, BALPA said “Decades of Ryanair refusing to deal with unions has resulted in two things.
“Firstly, a management that apparently doesn’t understand how to work with unions, and secondly a company that doesn’t have a number of standard agreements that any union would reasonably expect in a workplace.”
In a letter to BALPA, Ryanair's director of HR strategy and operations Darrell Hughes said some of the airline's most senior pilots were paid up to £180,000 per annum, and had resulted in a pilot turnover of zero "in recent months."
He said: "At this difficult time for UK pilots facing base cuts and closures, BALPA should be working with Ryanair to save UK pilot jobs, not endanger them through ill-timed and ill-judged disruption of our customers' travel plans, jut 10 weeks before the threat of a no-deal Brexit. We remain available for talks at your convenience."
When are the strikes planned?
BALPA has announced two walkouts, one from 22-23 August and another from 2-4 September.
Which flights will be affected?
An estimated two million passengers are expected to fly with Ryanair on the scheduled strike days.
However, because Ryanair uses crews based in France, Spain, Italy and elsewhere for flights to and from British airports, not many flights serving the UK will be affected.
Ryanair should inform its passengers over text or email if their flight has been affected by strike action.
Am I entitled to compensation for cancelled flights?
You may be able to claim back costs caused as a result of a delayed or cancelled flight – for example, accommodation costs or food and drink while waiting at an airport.
However, unlike delays for other reasons, airlines are not obligated to offer compensation following industrial action because strikes are usually considered to be ‘extraordinary circumstances.’
Following strike action last year, Ryanair were ordered by the Civil Aviation Authority to pay compensation of €250 to €400 per passenger, so if the strikes go ahead, it’s possible that travellers affected could be entitled to a similar figure.
