Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
clear sky
weather
OMAN
25°C / 25°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

First Ryanair strike sees delays, but no disruption in Germany

1201467
1201467
minus
plus

FRANKFURT: Passengers travelling with Ryanair in Germany on Friday saw little disruption from a short strike called by a pilots’ union, with the no-frills airline praising crew for “largely ignoring” the unprecedented walkout.


But Germany’s powerful Cockpit union (VC) declared it a “successful warning strike”.


The union had asked Ryanair pilots to walk off the job from 5-9 am (0400-0800 GMT) in a battle for recognition from the Irish carrier whose workers have been calling for better pay and conditions across Europe.


But the impact of the first-ever strike action by pilots in Ryanair’s 32-year history was limited, causing just some delays and no cancellations.


Ryanair said nine of the 36 flights scheduled to depart within the strike window were delayed by the actions of “a small number of pilots”.


“We are grateful to all of our Ryanair pilots for putting our customers first and largely ignoring this VC strike,” it said in a statement.


It added that it apologised to customers for any inconvenience suffered “as a result of this unjustified and unnecessary strike”.


At Germany’s busiest travel hub, Frankfurt airport, all six scheduled Ryanair flights left as planned, according to DPA news agency.


Most flights left as planned at Berlin-Schoenefeld airport as well, where seven departures were on the board. The 6:40 am flight to Italy’s Bergamo however was delayed by five hours.


At the Cologne/Bonn airport in western Germany, passengers for a Ryanair flight to Copenhagen were told to expect a 10-hour delay. — AFP


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon