Ryanair Strike Will Cause Weekend Chaos

Over 100,000 passengers on the ground, 600 flights canceled, airports across Europe in chaos. This is the disastrous outcome that will be caused by the 2-day Ryanair strike announced by the airline’s cabin crew in Spain, Portugal, and Belgium for Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26, which will also affect connections to and from Italy.

The Irish company has confirmed the mobilization of its employees with a tweet and is preparing to face one of the most difficult weeks of its 30-year history. The cancellations will affect every single day 200 flights to and from Spain, 50 to and from Portugal, and 50 to and from Belgium.

The canceled flights represent 12% of all Ryanair connections made in Europe. In addition, a strike by the Italian low-cost airline staff is scheduled for July 25.The airline also announced that all passengers affected by cancellations will be notified by email or text message and will be able to obtain another flight or ticket compensation.

Ryanair cabin crew called the strike to demand higher pay and better working conditions.

Its pilots should also cross their arms on July 30 and August 3.

In-depth workers’ requests

There are 34 requests being made by staff to the company. They range from the decision not to pay more for their uniforms, food, and water; the competition requested to the staff to sell more products on board the aircraft; and sick leave.

In a note sent to Corriere della Sera (daily), Ryanair stated that the workers’ requests were meaningless. Flight attendants earn up to €40,000 a year, more than double the salary needed to live. Their shifts are set at 5-3 (5 days of work and 3 of rest), and they cannot fly for more than 900 hours a year.

Ryanair intends to close its German base at Frankfurt Hahn airport in November. The offices in Berlin, Tegel, and Duesseldorf airports may close by the end of September.

“The decision,” reads a note from the Irish company, “was taken after the German pilots refused the cuts in advanced wages” made necessary due to the economic repercussions of the pandemic in progress. “Vc (the pilots’ union) has spoken out in favor of staff cuts and site closings when it could have guaranteed all jobs,” said Ryanair’s human resources manager, Shane Carty.

For its part, the VC replied that it considered the agreement with the airline inadequate. In fact, employment would only have been guaranteed until March 2021, while a drastic drop in wages would not have been expected until 2024.

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