Ryanair warns of possible Easter disruption
Ryanair is warning that it would rather cancel flights over Easter rather than give in to pilots’ demands for higher pay and better conditions.
Chief executive Michael O’Leary said the low-cost carrier was prepared for the threat of strikes from pilots’ unions across Europe.
"I think disruptions are inevitable," he said, adding that Ryanair would ‘face down’ such threats.
Ryanair decided to recognise pilots’ unions for the first time in December to avoid strikes over Christmas, but the airline has struggled to reach new deals on pay and conditions with their representatives.
O’Leary said he was unsure if this would lead to strikes, but he said he expected some unions would be ‘trying to so something around Easter week’. He added: "We are geared up for that and ready for it."
Last month, Ryanair announced that it had reached a new pay deal with pilots at all 15 of its UK bases, but pilots based in some other countries are locked in a dispute with the airline, claiming that their pay and conditions are not as favourable as with other low-cost carriers, including easyJet and Norwegian.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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