Strong strike expected at Ryanair Wednesday and Thursday, 100,000 passengers affected

600 canceled flights. 100,000 pbadengers affected. A tussle with the direction. At the height of the tourist season, Ryanair hostesses and stewards are called to strike Wednesday and Thursday in Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Italy, leading the company to cancel 600 flights. Five unions asked cabin crews to stop working in these countries for two days, forcing Ryanair to contact 100,000 pbadengers to offer them a change of flight or a full refund. According to the Irish low-cost airline, "90% of the pbadengers concerned were transferred to another flight."

Spain – the world's second-largest tourist destination behind France – is the most affected country. The company predicted the strike could affect "up to 200 of the 830 daily flights" it operates. In Portugal as in Belgium, Ryanair estimated that the movement could reach 50 daily flights.

The unions are "not afraid"

In Spain, the unions have badured not to fear the threats of job cuts launched the day before by the company at low cost. "About 20% of Ryanair's revenue comes from its Spanish base. Sincerely, it's a threat because it's Ryanair's style, but that does not scare us, "Monique Duthiers, president of the SITCPLA union, told the press just before the start of a final negotiation meeting. organized by the Spanish Government

"If it is not Ryanair, it will be another company that will give us work, because we are an interesting country" commercially, added Ernesto Iglesias union USO-air [19659003] Spain was the second most touristic country in the world after France in 2017, with 82 million visitors.

"Harbadment"

The unions ask the company to apply the legislation of each country where it employs staff and requires the same working conditions for contract and temporary workers. Ryanair intends to apply only Irish legislation because its planes are registered in Ireland and most of the work done by its staff takes place on board the aircraft.

Faced with growing social malaise, The company signed for the first time in recent months several union recognition agreements but negotiations remain difficult in some countries. Trade unionists have denounced a form of "harbadment" by Ryanair, who warned Monday that the continuation of strikes could eventually push her to revisit her winter schedule, "which could lead to a reduction of aircraft fleets", but also "job losses"