Ryanair strikes: When are they, which routes are affected and can I claim a refund?

Irish low-cost carrier set to be hit by new industrial action as passengers face further travel misery

A Ryanair plane takes off from the airport in Palma de Mallorca (Reuters)

Ryanair is facing its latest round of strikes on Friday 10 August.

The Irish low-cost carrier’s pilots based in Ireland, Belgium and Sweden are set to walk out in a dispute over working conditions and could be joined by colleagues in the Netherlands and Germany pending the outcome of talks with trade unions.

The company operates from 86 airports across 37 countries and carried 130m passengers in 2017, but has been hit by a series of strikes over the summer holiday period, beginning in late July.

When are the strikes taking place?

Ryanair insists just 20 – or 7 per cent – of its planned 300 flights to and from Ireland on 10 August have been grounded as a result of the industrial action by members of FORSA. The airline said it has contacted all 3,500 passengers affected.

Strikes in Belgium have meanwhile forced it to cancel 104 in and out of the country and 22 into and out of Sweden – both walkouts are also scheduled for 10 August.

Passengers set to travel to those countries on Friday should have been notified already by text or email in the event that their journey has been affected but are advised to double-check with the airline.

In the Netherlands, a poll by the Association of Dutch Pilots (VNV) found that 99.5 per cent of members would be in favour of a strike, action they could legally undertake with just 12 hours' notice.

In Germany, talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit pilot's union are ongoing.

For its part, Ryanair has asked all unions concerned to take part in third-party mediation and to give at least seven days' notice before striking so that it has ample time to notify its customers.

Will passengers be entitled to a refund or compensation?

Passengers whose flights have been cancelled will be offered a refund or a free transfer to an alternative flight on a different date, Ryanair has said.

Airlines are further obligated to come to the assistance of their customers in the event that a flight is delayed under EU regulation 261/2004, meaning stranded holidaymakers can appeal for meals and accommodation – dependent on the length of the delay and distance of the flight in question.

However, airlines dispute their obligation to provide compensation in the event of a walkout as they say strikes are “extraordinary circumstances” beyond the control of the carrier – and Ryanair has said it will not pay out.

“Ryanair sincerely apologises to our customers for these disruptions, which we have done our utmost to avoid,” said chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs.

“Given that our Ryanair cabin crew enjoy great pay – up to €40,000 per year (£36,600), [they have] industry leading rosters [14 days off each month], great sales commissions, uniform allowances and sick pay, these strikes are entirely unjustified and will achieve nothing other than to disrupt family holidays.”

In an extraordinary intervention last month, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a statement urging grounded holidaymakers to claim their entitlement under European air passengers’ rights rules.

A spokesperson said: “When a flight cancellation is caused by strike action by the airline’s employees, the airline is required to pay compensation to passengers in respect of the cancellation of the flight, if it has not warned passengers of the cancellation at least two weeks prior to the scheduled time of departure.”