Pilots’ body hits out at Ryanair’s ‘deficiencies’
‘Highly unstable pilot workforce’ ‘We sincerely apologise again’
A BODY representing 38,000 pilots across Europe has issued a direct plea to Ryanair investors to consider the ‘long-term sustainability’ of the company.
The European Cockpit Association claimed to have ‘exposed structural deficiencies in [Ryanair’s] business and employment model and a deep disconnect between management and pilots’.
It said there was now a need for ‘institutional investors to initiate structural change and work for an urgently needed social dialogue’.
Jon Horne, ECA vice-president, said that the unprecedented travel chaos – which saw approximately 315,000 customers affected by cancelled flights – had been ‘self-inflicted’ by the airline and claimed that Ryanair’s pilots had ‘offered a helping hand to the company’.
He added: ‘In return, Ryanair pilots haven’t asked for a crude bonus. They want something much simpler – a direct and stable employment contract, governed by the laws of the country where they live and work, in conditions similar to other European pilots, and a meaningful and genuine social dialogue.’
The ECA described the airline’s employment model as ‘atypical’, adding: ‘Ryanair makes systematic use of contractors and selfemployed pilots providing services through temporary agencies, and often subject to zero hours [no flight, no pay].
‘Such working arrangements have a negative impact on working conditions, as they can have the effect of limiting access to fundamental benefits, such as paid vacation, sickness or maternity leave.
‘This provides flexibility and a lower cost base, but also a highly unstable pilot workforce – as demonstrated by the short time that pilots stay at Ryanair.’
It said the recent judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union, which allows Ryanair crews to seek labour rights in courts other than Ireland, had put the ‘atypical employment model’ under pressure.
The ECA added that this decision ‘ruled that Ryanair’s crews can seek their labour rights in courts other than Ireland, thereby refuting Ryanair’s rhetoric of “Irish aircraft = Irish employee”.
‘It will empower air crew to pursue their rights in local courts and challenge questionable atypical employment set-ups under the laws of their own country.’
Philip von Schöppenthau, the ECA’s secretary-general, issued a plea to corporate investors. He warned: ‘This European Court judgement cannot be ignored by Ryanair management, nor by institutional investors.
‘As Ryanair’s management is busy finding quick-fix solutions, we call on investors to take a moment and think about the longterm sustainability of the company and one of its most valuable assets: the employees. We see today that planes – still – need crews to fly them and to bring their passengers safely to their destination.’
When asked about this statement – and reports that pilots at 55 bases had rejected Ryanair’s bonus offer to sell back some of their holidays – the airline issued a one-line statement.
A spokesman said: ‘We don’t comment on the false claims of competitor pilot unions.’
The airline said yesterday that as of Sunday over 305,000 requests for alternative routings or refunds, involving over 97% of affected customers, had been processed.
Up to 2,100 flights are expected to be cancelled over the six-week period since the crisis started.
Ryanair said: ‘Three per cent of (affected) customers (less than 10,000) have yet to contact us.’
The company again issued an apology to customers, saying: ‘No further flights have been cancelled for rostering reasons.’
It added: ‘We have expanded our customer-service team, who are assisting all affected customers with their requests, as we try to resolve any problems we have created for them, for which we again sincerely apologise.’ emmajane.hade@dailymail.ie