Europe: Ryanair strikes beginning on December 20

Event

Major Ryanair flight disruptions may occur through the busy holiday travel period due to planned and threatened strikes by pilots. Ireland-based pilots for Ryanair announced that they will hold a strike on Wednesday, December 20. Flights to and from London Stansted Airport (STN) may be particularly affected.

Additionally, Ryanair pilots based in Germany have also threatened to strike but have not released much information concerning when such a strike would take place. However, the German union did state that no strike action would be held during the Christmas weekend (December 23-26). Pilots based in Portugal have also voted to take industrial action that may include a strike, but have also not set a date.

Context

The strikes come amid rising tension between pilots in multiple countries and Ryannair management over the airline’s refusal to negotiate with their respective representative bodies. The airline has threatened to cut pay and freeze promotions for pilots that strike in the coming days. In recent months, Ryanair pilots have been increasingly dissatisfied with the company’s internal union, the Employee Representative Committee, and have been joining local pilot unions.

Conflict between the pilots’ unions and Ryanair began after the airline canceled over 20,000 flights from November 2017 through March 2018. The airline claimed the flights were canceled due to a lack of standby pilots. All canceled flights are listed on Ryanair’s website.

Advice

Potentially impacted passengers traveling with Ryanair are advised to confirm flight reservations and to contact the airline for more information.