Brussels: Ryanair cancelled scores of European flights on Friday as unions staged what they warned could be the biggest strike in the airline’s history.
The Dublin-based carrier has played down fears of widespread disruption but confirmed it would cancel about 250 flights.
“Today, over 2,150 Ryanair flights (90 per cent of our schedule) will operate as normal carrying 400,000 customers across Europe,” the airline said in statement.
Walk-outs by cabin crew took place in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. In some countries, pilots’ unions also took action.
At Charleroi Airport in Belgium, around 20 strikers unfurled a strike banner at the terminal and four of 12 scheduled services were cancelled.
“Some cabin crew staff earn 2,000 euros, and you have a colleague who does exactly the same work, who only earns 1,000 euros, and with 1,000 euros in Belgium, it is impossible to live,” said Yves Lambot of the CNE union in Belgium.
Tensions ran high at Eindhoven Airport in the Netherlands where some passengers had already passed though security when a flight to London was cancelled with just half-an-hour until take-off.
The Dutch union VNV said it was seeking to take legal action to prevent Ryanair from bringing pilots in from abroad to replace striking Dutch crews.
At Porto airport, where Ryanair has its main base in Portugal, about 10 people queued up on Friday morning in front of the airline’s counter to find alternatives to cancelled flights.
“The company has provided a bus. It’s not that comfortable. Instead of 50 minutes, the trip will take five hours. But at least I will arrive today,” one traveller told Portugal’s SIC television.
Affected customers received e-mail and text message notifications on Tuesday to advise them of cancellations and options, Ryanair said.
Trade unions hope that Friday’s 24-hour stoppage will be the biggest strike in the Irish carrier’s history.
Ryanair staff have been seeking higher wages and an end to the practice whereby many have been working as independent contractors without the benefits of staff employees.
A key complaint of workers based in countries other than Ireland is the fact that Ryanair has been employing them under Irish legislation. — AFP
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