Ryanair reach deal with pilots in Spain but cabin crew strike continues
Budget airline Ryanair have reached a pay agreement with pilots' unions in France and Spain, but unfortunately for travellers they are no closer to a deal with cabin crew, meaning more strike action and ongoing flight cancellations and delays.
Ryanair first announced on Thursday 21st July that it has it reached a five-year agreement with unions representing pilots in Spain.
The deal follows an agreement made with French pilots also coming to terms with Ryanair over pay and conditions.
It includes a return to pre-COVID level salaries and "allows wage improvements and other benefits beyond the full return to salaries for Ryanair pilots based in France and in Spain," the airline said in a statement.
Spanish pilot union SEPLA said final details need to be nailed down before a final agreement is signed, but a planned pilot's walkout, which was set to take place from July 25th to 28th, is now cancelled.
READ ALSO: Airport chaos in Europe: Airlines cancel 15,000 flights in August
Ryanair are hoping to recover and even exceed their pre-pandemic capacity levels, aiming for 115 percent capacity this year, and the agreement with pilots unions forms part of a strategy to try and set a foundation for strong growth moving forward and out of the pandemic period.
Unfortunately, the agreement is strictly between the airline and its pilots, and does not end the planned walkouts by cabin crew throughout the rest of July and into August.
READ ALSO: Ryanair strike: Which flights to and from Spain have been cancelled?
There is no end in sight for the Ryanair cabin crew strike which has caused hundreds of flight cancellations and thousands of delays since 1,900 Spain-based Ryanair employees stopped working on June 24th to protest against their low wages and work conditions.
Ryanair staff’s initial six-day stoppage was meant to come to an end on Saturday July 2nd, but a further 12 days of strikes were added throughout the month of July due to the failure to reach an agreement over cabin crew’s low pay and work conditions.
READ ALSO: What are your rights if flights are delayed or cancelled?
Cancellations and delays now look set to continue into early August unless a deal can be reached.
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Ryanair first announced on Thursday 21st July that it has it reached a five-year agreement with unions representing pilots in Spain.
The deal follows an agreement made with French pilots also coming to terms with Ryanair over pay and conditions.
It includes a return to pre-COVID level salaries and "allows wage improvements and other benefits beyond the full return to salaries for Ryanair pilots based in France and in Spain," the airline said in a statement.
Spanish pilot union SEPLA said final details need to be nailed down before a final agreement is signed, but a planned pilot's walkout, which was set to take place from July 25th to 28th, is now cancelled.
READ ALSO: Airport chaos in Europe: Airlines cancel 15,000 flights in August
Ryanair are hoping to recover and even exceed their pre-pandemic capacity levels, aiming for 115 percent capacity this year, and the agreement with pilots unions forms part of a strategy to try and set a foundation for strong growth moving forward and out of the pandemic period.
Unfortunately, the agreement is strictly between the airline and its pilots, and does not end the planned walkouts by cabin crew throughout the rest of July and into August.
READ ALSO: Ryanair strike: Which flights to and from Spain have been cancelled?
There is no end in sight for the Ryanair cabin crew strike which has caused hundreds of flight cancellations and thousands of delays since 1,900 Spain-based Ryanair employees stopped working on June 24th to protest against their low wages and work conditions.
READ ALSO: What are your rights if flights are delayed or cancelled?
Cancellations and delays now look set to continue into early August unless a deal can be reached.
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