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Pilots employed in the UK for Europe’s biggest budget airline are balloting on industrial action.
Flight crew who work for Ryanair and belong to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) will be sent voting forms on 24 July with the results of the ballot announced on 7 August.
If there is a vote in favour of strike action, the earliest it could begin is 21 August.
The dispute is over a pay and conditions claim that, says Balpa, seeks to resolve areas of concern for pilots on issues such as pensions, allowances and maternity benefits.
The union’s general secretary, Brian Strutton said: “Our Ryanair representatives have been trying to tackle some of the many issues that result from years of non-recognition of unions within Ryanair. But we have not been able to make any progress with Ryanair at all on any of our areas of concern. As usual with Ryanair, it’s their way or the highway, and we are not prepared to put up with that.”
Show all 11 1 /11Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest Grand prize winner and 1st place: Cities "Upernavik is a fishing village on a tiny island in west Greenland. Historically, Greenlandic buildings were painted different colors to indicate different functions, from red storefronts to blue fishermen’s homes—a useful distinction when the landscape is blanketed in snow. This photo was taken during my three-month, personal photo project to present life in Greenland."
Chu Weimin
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 1st place: Nature "A gorgeous griffon vulture is seen soaring the skies in Monfrague National Park in Spain. How can anyone say vultures bring bad omens when looking at such tenderness in this griffon vulture's eyes? Vultures are important members of the environment, as they take care of recycling dead matter. Vultures are noble and majestic animals—kings of the skies. When looking at them flying, we should feel humbled and admire them."
Tamara Blazquez Haik
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 2nd place: Cities "There are four runways at San Francisco's International Airport (SFO). This is a rare look at the approach end of runways 28 left and right. I had dreams of documenting the motion at SFO and arranged permission to fly directly overhead. What a windy day it was. Winds at SFO were 35-45 miles per hour, which meant a bumpy flight, and it was much harder to control the plane while photographing. The flight was challenging, but it was also so thrilling that I couldn't sleep for several days afterward."
Jassen Todorov
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest Honourable mention: People "I captured this layered moment during sunrise along the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi, India. This boy was thinking silently, and visitors were enjoying the loud musical chirping of thousands of seagulls. The early morning golden light from the east mixed with the western blue light, creating an ethereal atmosphere. I am a regular visitor here and have photographed this place for the past three years. Now, many national and international photographers have begun visiting too."
Navin Vatsa
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest Honourable mention: Nature "A herd of ibex in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland cross a ridge above Lake Brienz. Their powerful and impressive horns show who the king of the Alps are. Ibex are ideally adapted to live at dizzying heights. The continuing ridge path and the rising fog show the natural habitat of these animals. After a few hours of observing the animals, I spotted the ibex herd on one side of the ridge. Several ibex stopped at the transition to view the world around them."
Jonas Schafer
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 3rd place: People "Every year on the feast of Saint Anthony the ceremony of the purification of animals, called Las Luminarias, is celebrated in Spain. In the province of Avila, horses and horsemen jump over bonfires in the ritual that has been maintained since the 18th century. The animals are not hurt, and it is a ritual that is repeated every year. To make the photo, I moved from Seville to San Bartolomé de Pinares because I am very interested in photographing ancestral rites."
Jose Antonio Zamora
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 2nd place: People "This photo was taken at a public park at Choi Hung House in Hong Kong. When I visited during the afternoon, it was very crowded with many young people taking pictures and playing basketball. But when I visited at sunrise, it was quiet and a different place. The area is designated for neighborhood residents in the early morning, and there was a sacred atmosphere. I felt divinity when I saw an old man doing tai chi in the sun."
Yoshiki Fujiwara
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 3rd place: Nature "Dusky dolphins often travel together in great numbers in the deep canyons of the Kaikoura, New Zealand in search of food. They glide through the ocean effortlessly, coming up only to breathe. Dusky dolphins are fast and will often keep pace with a speeding boat. I waited on the bow of the boat as the Dusky dolphin almost broke through the surface. Their elegance and streamlined bodies are built for speed and maneuverability—accentuated by the smooth, clear water of the New Zealand coastline."
Scott Portelli
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 2nd place: Nature "What happens before a wave breaks? That question has been my assignment this past year. On this particular day, I decided to shoot the sunset on the east side of Oahu, Hawaii. About 100 photographers were out in the morning, but I had the evening to myself. The textures from the trade winds created subtle colors from the west and blended well using my 100mm lens. I had to look into my viewfinder while this wave was breaking. Not an easy task when a wave is about to crush you."
Danny Sepkowski
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 1st place: People "Actors prepare for an evening opera performance in Licheng County, China. I spent the whole day with these actors from makeup to stage. I’m a freelance photographer, and the series “Cave Life" is a long-term project of mine. In China's Loess Plateau, local residents dig holes in the loess layer to create cave living spaces, known as yaodongs, and use the heat preservation properties to survive cold winters. This series mainly records the life, entertainment, belief, labor, and other daily scenes of the people living in the caves."
Huaifeng Li
Winners of National Geographic Travel Photo Contest 3rd place: Cities "People pray on the street in Dhaka, Bangladesh during Ijtema. Bishwa Ijtema is one of the major Islamic religious gatherings which is observed annually in Dhaka and millions of Muslims visit during this time. Dedicated prayer grounds are not large enough to handle this huge number of people, so large numbers of people come to Tongi, the main street of Dhaka. All the ground transportation and pedestrian crossings are suspended during that time."
Sandipani Chattopadhyay
The Independent has asked Ryanair for a response.
Pilots working for British Airways and belonging to Balpa are currently being balloted on industrial action, with the result expected on 22 July. The first possible date for a strike is 5 August.
Separately, 4,000 workers at Heathrow airport , including security guards, are set to strike on 26 and 27 July and on a series of dates in August.
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