“We welcome this recognition agreement in the United Kingdom and are pleased to announce today this recognition agreement with BALPA on behalf of our pilots directly employed in the UK. The UK accounts for 25% of Ryanair`s fleets and pilots. This agreement confirms the decision of Ryanair`s board of directors in December to recognise the unions and the fact that we have provided wage increases of up to 20% and the union recognition of our pilots in our largest market shows how serious Ryanair is by cooperating constructively with unions willing to cooperate constructively with us. Ryanair this week welcomed confirmation that the BALPA agreement was overwhelmingly adopted by 96% of Ryanair`s UK pilots, showing that Ryanair pilots are ready to cooperate with the company during the Covid 19 crisis, where Ryanair will carry 50% less traffic at significantly lower fares for the foreseeable future. Ryanair today (2 July) welcomed DIE BALPA`s adoption of a four-year contract for free pilots, which includes a 20% reduction in wages over a four-year period, improved working table productivity, flexible work arrangements and annual leave to minimise job cuts for British pilots. The agreement gives Ryanair a framework to ease its operations during the Covid 19 crisis, and a turnaround route if business returns to normal in the coming years. Balpa (The British Airline Pilots Association) is calling on EU and UK negotiating teams to reach an agreement on air transport at an early stage at the next talks. During the post-Brexit transition period until the end of 2020, Britain and the EU will have to negotiate new trade deals or not apply WTO rules. However, there are no WTO air transport rules and, therefore, the UK and the EU must reach an agreement on air transport, no matter what else. The British Air Airline Pilots` Association (BALPA) confirmed that despite lengthy discussions with Thomas Cook Airlines on ACAS, there was still no need to reach an agreement and that, as a result, strike action would continue on Saturday. Today`s agreement between Ryanair and BALPA shows that Ryanair can work with unions to work with us to promote the interests of our pilots and customers.

The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) has agreed to a four-year contract for Ryanair`s British pilots, which includes a 20% reduction in wages over four years, improved productivity on working boards, flexible work arrangements and annual leave to minimise job losses for British pilots. The agreement follows major negotiations with BALPA since Ryanair announced in December that unions would be recognised for collective bargaining. As these recognition negotiations continued with BALPA, Ryanair UK`s six remaining bases (including Stansted) voted by secret ballot in favour of wage increases of up to 20%, which had already been agreed by a majority (9) of other UK bases. These pay increases mean that Ryanair`s British pilots earn 20% more than 737 pilots (Norwegian and Jet2). “This agreement provides Ryanair with a framework to ease its operations during the COVID 19 crisis and a way to recover if business returns to normal in the coming years,” the airline said in a statement.