Ryanair has announced 24 flight cancellations for this Friday, 20 July as its Irish pilots prepare to stage the second in a series of 24-hour strikes.
Following its strategy from last week’s strike, the carrier says all 24 cancelled services are on high-frequency routes from Ireland to London and other UK destinations. Ryanair says the move is meant to help minimise the impact on holidaymakers headed to Europe.
Passengers affected by the cancellations have been contacted, according to the airline, with offers of free transfers to alternative flights or full refunds.
Irish pilots are locked in a dispute with Ryanair over the procedure for base transfers, promotions and holiday allocation, among other demands.
Ryanair maintains that the union Forsa has refused to accept its offer of a Working Committee to discuss the issues and come to an agreement. The carrier claims the pilots involved in the strike “don’t understand and can’t explain” their demands because they have been “drafted” by Aer Lingus pilots.
Another pilot strike is planned for 24 July, while cabin crew in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Belgium will stage walk-outs over 25 and 26 July.
Meanwhile, Ryanair has hit out at German and Greek air traffic controllers as an ongoing strike caused delays to more than 360 flights on Monday and is bringing further disruption this morning.