A deal has been reached between Ryanair and its pilots in Ireland to head off further strike action.
The breakthrough came a day after Europe’s largest budget carrier revealed that 550 flights affecting more than 100,000 passengers were cancelled in August, main due to air traffic control staff shortages but partly due to pilot stoppages.
Members of the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association – part of the Forsa union – voted unanimously to accept an agreement over working conditions that was struck last month.
The agreement came after five days of strike action by about 100 of Ryanair’s 350 Irish-based pilots.
The carrier had threatened to move aircraft from Dublin this winter with the possible loss or transfer of 300 jobs.
The deal was proposed after a 22-hour session of talks, overseen by facilitator Kieran Mulvey.
The dispute between the airline and some of its Irish pilots centred around base transfers, promotions, annual leave and other issues.
The deal is understood to include an overall agreement and a specific section on base transfers and command upgrades, which was a key issue in the dispute.
It was expected that Ryanair will remove the threat of job losses if the deal was approved by pilots.
Although acknowledging that relations have been difficult in the past, the union said it was committed to “building a constructive relationship with Ryanair based on mutual respect and a shared future,” starting with this initial collective agreement on seniority.
IALPA spokesman captain Joe May said: “While our members fully respect Ryanair’s operational model, they no longer accept the company’s highly problematic employment model.
“After decades of declining terms and conditions, pilots in Ryanair have now firmly found a unified voice.
“When pilots are treated fairly and transparently by an airline, they will be motivated to contribute to their airline’s success, stay at the company and make their career with that airline.”
He went on to thank Ryanair for its participation in the mediation process.
The airline said: “We will now bring this agreement to the board and will ask them reconsider their decision to re-base six aircraft away from Dublin this winter.
“We expect that the board will meet to discuss this welcome development in the coming days.”