Ryanair pilots suspend pre-Christmas strike

IRELAND–BASED pilots for low-cost airline Ryanair have suspended their one-day pre-Christmas strike action on Wednesday.

Impact, the union representing the 117 directly employed pilots, has instead agreed to meet the airline’s management tomorrow evening (Tuesday).

Ryanair said it would recognise unions for the first time as it also faces challenges from staff in Spain, Germany, Portugal, Britain and Italy.

The firm’s chief operations officer, Peter Bellew, said, “Let’s keep talking and get people home quietly for Christmas.”

Impact said it hoped the suspension of industrial action would remove any uncertainty for passengers intending to travel on Wednesday.

Unions in other countries had already halted action, but Impact said Irish pilots wanted more clarification.

The union said, “Impact has suspended a planned one-day strike of Ryanair pilots on Wednesday after company management agreed to recognise the union as the representative of Irish-based pilots.”

“The union has agreed to meet management on Tuesday evening, but says it is available to meet sooner. We look forward to establishing a positive relationship with Ryanair company management.

Impact says the dispute is about winning independent representation for pilots in the company.

The union said it would make no further comment until after Tuesday’s meeting.