Ryanair braces for new round of strikes in Europe

Ryanair’s Irish pilots are preparing to strike again on Friday at the start of a new wave of industrial action against the no-frills carrier across Europe.

The strike is the fourth in Ireland for Europe’s second biggest airline, and will affect 20 out of 300 flights in and out of the country that day.

In a statement on Wednesday, the airline offered to meet the Irish pilots on Saturday or next week “so we can get down to the serious work of resolving this dispute”.

The Swedish pilots union Svensk Pilotforening (SPF) also on Wednesday said its members intended to strike on Aug 10.

The union said Ryanair “had consistently refused to meet with and negotiate with representatives of SPF”, accusing the Irish airline of wanting to choose its own negotiating team from the union.

The SPF said around 40 pilots at Skavsta airport, 100 kms (62 miles) southwest of Stockholm, would go on strike.

Pilot unions in Belgium called on their members to join in industrial action on Aug 10.

Dutch and German pilots have also voted to strike unless they reach a deal with management.

“Ryanair needs a wake-up call and a strike in the Netherlands might be the only solution,” the Dutch Airline Pilots Association said in a statement. (AFP)