Ryanair cancels 146 flights ahead of Friday’s strikes
Ryanair pilots in Belgium, Sweden and Ireland are set to stage a 24-hour strike on Friday and pilots in Germany and the Netherlands could join in too.
A poll by the Association of Dutch Pilots (VNV) found 99.5% would be in favour of a strike while Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), the German pilots’ union, said 96% of Ryanair pilots voted in favour.
Talks are ongoing in both countries.
"Ryanair has been playing for time in the negotiations since January," said a VC statement.
"If the signal given by this vote is not taken seriously, then strikes – such as in other European countries – are inevitable."
The confirmed action on Friday by pilots in Belgium, Sweden and Ireland will lead to the cancellation of 146 flights – 104 to and from Belgium, 22 in Sweden and 20 in Ireland – and will impact 25,000 passengers.
Ryanair has described the strikes as unnecessary and said it will re-accommodate or refund all passengers who are affected.
"We apologise to our customers for the disruption these unnecessary strikes will cause," said Ryanair.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports