Chaos threatens to fly in Britain as pilots from two airlines prepare to go on strike

(Getty)

• The Ryanair pilots voted in favor of the strike and their union announced two strike periods: August 22-23 and September 2-4.
• British Airways pilots have also voted in favor of the strike, but have not announced a date yet.
• The two strikes, combined with the possible actions of more than 4,000 employees at London's Heathrow Airport, could wreak havoc on anyone traveling to the UK in the coming weeks.
• Visit the Business Insider Home Page for more stories.

Ryanair's British pilots' union voted against the strike at the end of the month in a dispute with the airline over working conditions, said the union representing them.

The union, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), has announced the dates of two strikes: one from 22 to 24 August and one from 2 to 4 September.

According to a statement by BALPA, she had difficulty negotiating with the airline, partly because of Ryanair's refusal to recognize the unions until 2017. The union indicated that its grievance covered problems "including pensions, loss of license insurance, maternity benefits, allowances and a fair, transparent and consistent pay structure. "

The decision to strike comes several weeks after a similar decision by British Airways (BA) pilots, also represented by BALPA. This strike, which the airline tried to block through a lawsuit, is about a wage dispute. The pilots are demanding a salary increase reflecting the parent company of BA, IAG, which has recorded consistently high profits in recent quarters. The airline has proposed an increase of 11.5% over three years, which the union rejected.

British Airways pilots have not yet announced the dates of the strikes and the union continues to negotiate with the airline. BALPA is required to give notice two weeks before any strike. It was unclear whether BALPA would try to coordinate strikes for maximum impact, or publish them on different dates to minimize disruption.

"We have not received any official offers from Ryanair and it is imperative to resolve this conflict urgently in order to avoid any strike action," said Brian Strutton, secretary general of BALPA. "No driver wants to spoil the public's travel plans, but at the moment, it seems we do not have a choice."

Ground staff at London Heathrow Airport also had strikes scheduled for two weekends in August. The first strike was canceled after the airport proposed wage increases, but strikes are still possible on the weekend of August 22 – identical to Ryanair's strikes – if staff refuse the offer.

Ryanair did not immediately explain what pbadengers affected by strikes could do to change flights.

Michael O 'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, recently announced the cancellation of 900 pilot and flight attendant positions this fall and winter, due to difficulties caused by the global stranding of the Boeing 737 Max, the increased likelihood of a Brexit without a transaction and lower combined rates. with lower demand in the UK.

Receive a single WhatsApp each morning with all our latest news: click here.