Ryanair boycott claims ‘not true’

NO-FRILLS airline Ryanair dismissed claims of a rift with pilots after it was reported they had boycotted a briefing by the company’s chief executive.

The airline said 50 of the 250 pilots based at its London Stansted hub had not turned up for routine meetings recently hosted by chief executive Michael O’Leary, but added that claims of a boycott were untrue.

The meetings aimed to provide an update on current trading and future plans, said the airline.

Media reports earlier in the week suggested it had been scheduled to warn staff against joining the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), saying staff had been threatened that they would not be considered for promotion if they did so.

Ryanair does not recognise trade unions or allow them any role in negotiating pay and conditions on staff's behalf but said it “recognises the right of all its people to join unions or associations should they so wish”.

The company fell out with SIPTU when baggage handlers striked in 1998, closing Dublin airport.

The airline said its pilots were among the highest paid in the industry and enjoyed better working conditions than those at rival airlines.

A Ryanair spokesman said the number of pilots leaving the airline to take up jobs elsewhere was “very low” and the company had more than 300 pilots on a waiting list to take “highly paid and much sought-after jobs”.