British Airways has lost a Court of Appeal bid to block pilots from taking strike action in a dispute over pay.

Both Ryanair and IAG are facing fresh threats of strike action by their British-based pilots.

Passengers travelling to and from Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff, London Southend and Southampton were among those affected.

Ryanair expects staff to strike during Easter week in Ireland or Portugal, chief executive Michael O‘Leary has said, as talks with some unions over formal recognition and improved conditions falter.

Ryanair is facing the prospect of industrial action by pilots in Britain as well as the possibility of legal action.

Norwegian Air has said its Irish operations will not be affected despite the airline saying it would reduce costs next year compared with this year. 

There have been 31 reports of laser beams deliberately pointed at aircraft in Irish airspace so far this year.

A British Airways flight was struck by what is believed to be a drone as it came in to land at Heathrow Airport, police said.

An incident in which a device believed to have been a drone came within 20ft of an about-to-land passenger plane at Heathrow Airport has been described in an official near-miss report.

Air safety chiefs have investigated the first near miss between a passenger plane and a drone near England’s Heathrow Airport, amid fears that drones could pose a danger to commercial flights.

Air safety chiefs have investigated the first near miss between a passenger jet and a drone near Heathrow Airport, amid fears that drones could pose a danger to commercial flights.

Embattled airline Flybe confirmed the closure of six of its regional bases as it set out details of 500 job cuts announced earlier this week.

MEPs have voted against new European rules for flying hours in a move welcomed by pilots who claimed the new regulations threatened flight safety .

More than half of pilots questioned in a new study admit they have fallen asleep in the air.

Both pilots on an Airbus passenger plane were asleep at the same time with the UK-operated aircraft flying on autopilot.

Both pilots on a Airbus passenger plane were asleep at the same time with the UK-operated aircraft flying on autopilot.

A British Airways plane had to return to Heathrow airport today with smoke billowing from the aircraft.

A pilots' strike on Virgin Atlantic would leave "an indelible scar on the company", the airline's boss Richard Branson said today.

Leaders of Virgin Atlantic pilots will meet today to decide their next move following a massive 97% vote in favour of a strike in a row over pay, which has raised the threat of summer walkouts.

A FORMER Ryanair pilot said he was “delighted” as he accepted a payout of £40,000 (€46,269) from the airline after he was sacked for handing out a union recruitment leaflet.

Fresh talks are to be held in a bid to avert industrial action by pilots employed by Virgin Atlantic, it was learned today.

Talks aimed at averting industrial action by pilots at Virgin Atlantic in a row over days off were adjourned after a “good exchange of views”.

Pilots' leaders urged the new British government today to intervene in the British Airways cabin crew dispute, warning that a wave of strikes from next week threatened jobs.

British Airways will be back in court today facing a legal challenge by pilots over holiday pay.

British Airways pilots have overwhelmingly accepted a 2.6% pay cuts as part of a package of measures to save the airline £26m (€30m), it was announced today.

RYANAIR has contacted its pilots to say they will be allocated one calendar week unpaid leave this winter due to the grounding of aircraft.

Talks aimed at averting a strike by British Airways pilots in a row over the airline’s proposed new subsidiary broke down night.

British Airways pilots have voted to go on strike in a row over pay and conditions, their union Balpa announced today.

British Airways pilots are to be balloted on strike action in a row over the airline's plans to launch a subsidiary business, it was announced today.

Pilots’ union Balpa in the UK today described the captain and first officer who averted disaster in the Heathrow crash land drama as “ordinary people who did an extraordinary thing”.

FLIGHTS out of Cork to three British airports could be affected by a strike by a low-cost carrier’s pilots.

A FORMER Ryanair official claimed in a “robust” letter sent to all the airline’s pilots that, rather than spending £1,000 a year on joining a pilots’ trade union, they should spend the money on “fast women, slow horses or even greyhound racing”, the High Court heard yesterday.

The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) is urging the Co Clare-based airline Eirjet not to sack the two pilots who mistakenly landed a passenger plane at a military base in the North yesterday.

Derek Gatopoulos, Athens

A legal battle has broken at Ryanair over a website set up, according to unions, to help “hard-pressed” pilots exchange information about conditions at the airline, it was learned today.

Pilots at British Airways have voted to accept a three-year pay deal worth 8.6%, it was announced today.

A British Airways jet which had to divert to Amsterdam after a “specific threat” was made against it was cleared by Dutch authorities tonight after a thorough search.

Ryanair pilots are planning to to establish the first ever pan-European trade union.

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.

Pilots, cabin crew and air traffic controllers who drink on duty will now face police breathtesting under strict new Government alcohol limits which take effect today.

British airline pilots have questioned US intelligence on terror threats that grounded six transatlantic flights, including a London to Washington service, today.

US AIRPORT security was criticised last night after a passenger was arrested for carrying ammunition on a flight from Washington to London.

US airport security was criticised tonight after a passenger was arrested for carrying ammunition on a flight from Washington to London.