Ryanair pilot strike – Brits face seeing their wedding and birthday plans ruined after new industrial action confirmed
RYANAIR passengers have slammed the airline for leaving them in the dark following the confirmation of strike action later this month - as they don't know whether their flights will be going ahead.
Some travellers who were travelling for their wedding or birthday fear their big day could be ruined by the walkout.
Twitter user Stefanie Mccabe tweeted: "Why why why would @Ryanair decide to strike , especially on day fly out to a wedding."
Mark Anderson Willis also wrote: "@Ryanair do you think you could not be such utter C£@?s an strike over the exact time we have 70 people coming to a Wedding in France.
"Wedding planning and dealing with a bridezilla can be tricky at the best of times, so it would be lovely if you could suggest what we all do now?"
Amber Rose said: "When will you advise which flights are affected by the strike action? @Ryanair @BALPApilots.
"My best friend is flying home from Australia to get married in Malaga - all guests including bride & groom (!!!) are flying out on 2nd and 3rd September. "
Other Ryanair passengers shared their concerns.
Tara Ryan asked: "@Ryanair please tell me my brother and his family can fly home for my birthday from Stansted to shannon on the 22nd of August ?"
Gareth Carter tweeted: "@Ryanair Pilots are you kidding me. A strike on the day I take my 5 kids to Spain on their first flight ever! Not cool."
Another user added: "please don't let pilots strike over the summer holidays, we have never been on holiday overseas as a family and are taking our 5 year old twins and 3 year old to France on the 23rd August, you cannot let this happen.
"You are victimising families with children.
"@BALPApilots please don't strike on 23st August, our first holiday in 6 years will be ruined, we are flying that day.
"Our 3 young children have never been abroad. We also work relentlessly all year long. Think of the innocent public please. @Ryanair you can't let this happen."
UK Pilots at Ryanair are to stage a series of strikes in a dispute over pay and conditions, their union has said.
Strikes will be held from 00.01am on August 22 until 11.59pm on August 23 and from 00.01am on September 2 until 11.59pm on September 4.
Members of the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) voted by 4-1 to back a campaign of action on a 72 per cent turnout.
The Ryanair strike is set to pile more misery onto holidaymakers, who have already seen a British Airways IT failure throw their plans into chaos.
A union statement said the strike was the result of "decades" of Ryanair refusing to deal with unions.
BALPA said the dispute revolves around pensions, loss of license insurance, maternity benefits, allowances and a fair, transparent, and consistent pay structure.
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."
At the end of July Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said 900 jobs were at risk at the airline because there was an "excess" number of pilots and cabin crew.
Ryanair said it was “disappointed” by the "ill-judged and ill-timed" announcement but said less than half of its pilots are BALPA members.
The airline said its UK pilots agreed a 20 per cent salary increase, with Senior Captains earning up to £180,000, which it said is more than competitors.
Ryanair said: "This BALPA industrial action has no mandate from Ryanair pilots, is ill-timed just 10 weeks before Brexit, and will cause unnecessary disruption to customers’ holidays and travel plans.
"We have written to BALPA asking them to return to talks, and we apologise sincerely to customers for any uncertainty that BALPA ballot may cause them."
Full Ryanair statement
We are disappointed that the pilots union BALPA, is threatening to disrupt our customers travel plans during late August, early September, when it has the support of less than 30 per cent of Ryanair’s UK pilots.
The independent result of BALPA’s ballot shows that less than 50 per cent of Ryanair’s UK pilots are members of BALPA, and of these, just 57 per cent voted in favour of industrial action. This is less than 30 per cent of Ryanair’s UK pilots.
It is notable that over 70 per cent of Ryanair’s UK pilots are either not members of BALPA, or did not vote in BALPA’s ballot, or voted against industrial action.
BALPA have no mandate to disrupt our customers holidays and flights, particularly at a time when UK pilots are facing job losses due to the Boeing MAX delivery delays, and the threat of a no deal Brexit on 31 Oct.
Last year, Ryanair’s UK pilots agreed a 20 per cent salary increase, with Senior Captain’s earning up to £180,000 p.a., which is more than competitor airline pilots in Norwegian or Jet2. BALPA is recommending a pay freeze for Jet2 pilots in return for improved rosters (which Ryanair pilots already enjoy), and/or 12 months unpaid leave for Norwegian’s Gatwick pilots.
This BALPA industrial action has no mandate from Ryanair pilots, is ill-timed just 10 weeks before Brexit, and will cause unnecessary disruption to customers holidays and travel plans.
We have written to BALPA asking them to return to talks, and we apologise sincerely to customers for any uncertainty that BALPA’s ballot may cause them.
We hope BALPA will now work with Ryanair to minimise job losses instead of undertaking ill-judged and ill-timed industrial action.
Brits have faced a series of strikes across the country with London Heathrow and London Gatwick heavily affected.
Staff at Heathrow could still walk out at the end of August if the pay dispute is not solved.
Gatwick Airport called off their strike yesterday at the last minute.