Ryanair UK Pilot Strike Goes Ahead

The Irish High Court has granted an injunction that stops Ryanair’s Ireland-based pilots striking this week, but a UK pilot strike will go ahead after a separate London court ruling.

The Fórsa union representing Ryanair‘s Ireland-based pilots said the court ruling means the strikes scheduled for Thursday and Friday will not take place.

Ryanair welcomed the ruling and confirmed that flights from Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports will operate as normal on August 22 and 23.

Ryanair called on the union to return to mediated talks to resolve the dispute without disrupting the travel plans “of thousands of Irish passengers and their families.”

Fórsa said it will consider its next steps after consultation and a review of the court’s full ruling.

But the news wasn't as good in London for the low cost airline as the High Court rejected Ryanair’s legal arguments to prevent a strike of UK-based pilots on the same days.

After the court ruling the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) said it offered an olive branch to the airline, but Ryanair turned it down.

“Ryanair foolishly tried to stop our strike in the High Court today and failed,” BALPA General Secretary Brian Strutton said. “Despite that, we extended an olive branch to Ryanair as a way of getting back around the table and calling off strikes over the next two days.

“We are extremely disappointed that Ryanair have taken such a belligerent and negative stance. We have become used to their macho posturing, but sadly it is their passengers who will pay the price for Ryanair’s attitude.”

BALPA members of Ryanair’s UK-based pilots will strike from one minute past midnight on Thursday August 22 until a minute before midnight on Friday 23rd.

Ryanair expects to operate its full UK flight schedule over the two days, but said it can’t rule out some flight delays or schedule changes.

A separate five-day strike by Ryanair’s Portugal-based cabin crew has started, but there has been minimal flight disruption so far.