Ryanair UK Pilots Accept Pay Offer

Pilots at all of Ryanair’s UK bases have voted to accept the company’s pay offer, which will mean increases of up to 20 percent.

The airline said the majority of its Ireland-based pilots had also agreed the increase, with the Cork and Shannon bases approving the offer.

“A majority of pilots in Dublin who are contractors or new joiners have already agreed,” the low cost carrier said in a statement.

Ryanair had asked its Dublin pilots to vote on the offer by January 17, but said they had failed to arrange a votein time. The 35 percent of Dublin-based pilots who have not accepted the offer will not receive the increase in January it said.

The increases will take Ryanair pilot pay in the UK to a level 20 percent higher than low cost competitors Norwegian Air and Jet2.

Ryanair is discussing union recognition with the UK pilot union BALPA after the airline backflipped on its longstanding opposition. The airline and union had agreed that the recognition negotiations should not slow the vote on the pilot pay offer.

“Ryanair and BALPA agreed to offer these pay increases to the 6 out of 15 UK bases (including Stansted) which had not previously accepted them,” Ryanair said.

The increases will be paid from January’s payroll onwards.