Now Ryanair pilots vote on strike as well as summer of chaos looms at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted
RYANAIR passengers could be hit by delays and disruptions this summer due to possible strike action.
It follows a number of strikes that are set to hit airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted starting later this month.
The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) announced on Wednesday that the Ryanair pilots they represent could strike in coming weeks due to a dispute over working conditions.
The results of the ballot are due on August 7 and strike action by the pilots in the airline's largest market could take place two weeks later, the union told members in a memo, which has been seen by Reuters.
The ballot is a setback for management at Europe's largest low-cost carrier, who have in recent months said they had largely resolved an industrial relations dispute with pilots and cabin crew.
Ryanair suffered a series of damaging strikes last year after the carrier bowed to pressure in late 2017 to recognise unions for the first time.
TAKE FLIGHT How to claim compensation for flight delays and cancellations as court rules you can claim for missed connections
But since then, it has signed collective labour agreements with a number of pilot unions throughout Europe.
BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said in a statement that no progress had been made in talks on issues including pensions, maternity benefits and "a fair, transparent, and consistent pay structure".
In a , he explained: "Our Ryanair representatives have been trying to tackle some of the many issues that result from years of non-recognition of unions within Ryanair.
"But we have not been able to make any progress with Ryanair at all on any of our areas of concern.
"As usual with Ryanair, it’s their way or the highway, and we are not prepared to put up with that.";
In the memo, BALPA said its members in a consultative ballot had overwhelmingly supported the move to hold a vote on strike action.
It said it understood that pilot union colleagues in Spain, Ireland, Sweden and Germany had made "little, if any, meaningful progress" in talks with Ryanair.
Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs earlier on Wednesday said he hoped to sign collective labour agreements with Germany's Vereinigung Cockpit pilot union by the end of August, adding that he did not expect strikes anywhere in Europe.
The potential strike is the latest bad news for Brits travelling abroad this summer, with walkouts threatened at a number of airports across the UK.
Heathrow Airport
Staff working for Heathrow Airport have announced strikes from July 26.
Over 4,000 workers, including security guards, engineers, passenger service operatives and passenger service drivers, are set to walk out over the coming months.
The dates are Friday July 26 and Saturday July 27, Monday August 5 and Tuesday August 6, and Friday August 23 and Saturday August 24.
According to Unite the union, the walkout "could potentially shut down the airport".
Gatwick Airport
Staff working at Gatwick Airport are currently voting on whether or not to strike.
Two separate groups of workers at Gatwick are voting on the industrial action over poverty pay rates according to their representatives Unite.
They include staff who scan passengers' luggage as well as those involved in maintaining the airport's facilities such as the toilets.
Will I get my money back if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
If your flight is cancelled, you have the legal right to either a full refund within seven days or a replacement flight to your destination.
This applies for whatever reason your flight was cancelled or how long before you were told it would no longer be be flying.
If your flight is delayed by three hours or more and you were flying to or from a European airport, or with an EU-based airline such as Ryanair or British Airways, then you can claim compensation up to €250 (£229) for short-haul flights and €400 (£367) for mid-haul flights and €600 (£530) for long-haul flights.
But the airline might not payout if it's out of their control, for example, due to bad weather or strikes.
Workers in both groups have until July 26 to decide what they want to do.
If members vote for industrial action, strikes could begin in mid-August, which would inevitably create disruption at the airport.
Stansted Airport
Staff working on easyJet's check-in counters at Stansted Airport have confirmed a 17-day strike.
The strike, over a long-running pay dispute, is set to start from Thursday July 25.
The dates affected are July 25 to 29; August 2 to 5; August 9 to 12; August 16 to 19; and August 23 to 27.
British Airways
British Airways pilots, represented by British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA), are currently voting on whether or not to strike this summer after negotiations over pay stalled.
The members have until July 22 to return their votes.
If the pilots involved decide to go on strike, the strikes could begin from August 5, although at this stage the details have not been confirmed and BA and BALPA are still in talks.
Ryanair has already suggested it will cut a number of flight routes later this year, due to the delay in the Boeing 737 Max jets returning to service.
This could also mean more expensive flights for Brits.
Sun Online Travel has contacted Ryanair for comment.