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. 

Ryanair has agreed to give the Commission for Aviation Regulation weekly updates on the number of passengers out of Ireland who are entitled to compensation and expenses as well as the numbers of claims submitted and claims closed out.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary is “very contrite” over the rolling flight cancellation programme, Transport Minister Shane Ross said in London, but the problem “should have been foreseen”.

The EU’s top court will issue a ruling this week which could have a major impact on the cost of industrial relations disputes for Ryanair, writes Seán McCárthaigh.

International and Irish pilots have come together to condemn as “unwarranted, unacceptable and counterproductive to flight safety” the publication of the last two minutes of the cockpit voice recordings of ill-fated Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116.

The US Department of Transportation (DoT) has granted a 10-day extension to its Cork-US flights consultation process on foot of a request from the airline’s opponents, including one of America’s largest labour unions.

A European pilots’ association has vowed to challenge US plans to allow an Irish airline operate the first transatlantic flights from Cork Airport.

The first transatlantic flights from Cork Airport could take off before the end of the year with talks on flight operations and ticket sales poised to take place soon.

Skies full of drones, easier security checks for passengers, and global airlines are the future of the aviation industry according to a new strategy put forward by the European Commission.

Ryanair’s employment practices, especially for pilots, creates safety risks and puts a major question mark over who would be responsible for compensation in the event of an accident, the European Parliament was told.

A damning EU-funded report claims low-cost airlines’ work practices for pilots compromises safety, writes Ann Cahill Europe Correspondent

Ryanair has issued defamation proceedings against the pilot who spoke about the safety of the airline on Channel 4’s Dispatches programme.

Airline pilots have warned that EU’s aviation safety body is placing the safety of passengers at risk due to proposals to change existing flying time limits for pilots.

Pilots and cabin crews across Europe are to stage a “walkout for safety” on Jan 22 over proposed “flight time limitations” they say will endanger passengers and crew.

The air transport industry was beset by confusion and arguments today as passengers braced themselves for days of uncertainty caused by Iceland’s latest volcanic ash cloud.

Airlines were today ordered to replace hundreds of crucial instruments of the type suspected as a cause of last month’s Air France Airbus crash that killed all 228 on board.

PILOTS are flying dangerously long hours without adequate breaks, a report by international aviation experts will claim later this week.

European Union governments have set a common limit on airline crews’ working hours that labour groups say will increase accident risks because it is too lax.

AIRLINE passengers will be put in danger under European Union plans to keep exhausted crew flying longer hours, pilots claim.

Low-fare carrier Ryanair was today expected to announce a big increase in pre-tax profits for the first quarter of the financial year.