Never have so many passengers suffered so much pre-flight stress. Over the five days of industrial action called by Ryanair pilots who belong to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa), I calculate up to half a million travellers booked with the carrier were potentially at risk of having their plans torn up.
Two weeks ago, as the law requires, Balpa served notice of strikes by its UK members on 22 and 23 August as well as 2, 3 and 4 September.
The moment an aviation union calls a strike, the pressure is on, and the stakes are raised.
Managers work out how much of the schedule they can hope to operate – and, conversely, how many thousands of passengers they will upset by cancelling their flights.
At the same time, bookings start to dry up: from late-buying, high-spending travellers who want to avoid the strike days, and more widely from prospective customers who perceive that the airline has an industrial relations problem and lose confidence.
1/50 21 August 2019
Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue.
PA
2/50 20 August 2019
Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates’ Court where denied any involvement with the murder.
PA
3/50 19 August 2019
A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales.
Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA
4/50 18 August 2019
England fielders crowd Pat Cummins as he see’s out the final over during day five of the second Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground. The test ended in a draw
Getty
5/50 17 August 2019
Glew (centre) and Monroe Adams (right) pose for a selfie with a member of the public outside DragWorld London 2019, Europe’s largest drag convention, featuring drag stars from the US and UK during a two-day event at Olympia, London.
PA
6/50 16 August 2019
A grey seal with fishing net tangled around its neck amongst the colony on the beach at Horsey in Norfolk, as RSPCA data show the number of animals affected by plastic litter is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22% in just four years
PA
7/50 15 August 2019
A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People’s Vote, a campaign group
PA
8/50 14 August 2019
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. – A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through — even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect.
AFP/Getty Images
9/50 12 August 2019
A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
PA
10/50 11 August 2019
Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One.
Getty
11/50 10 August 2019
People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year
Getty
12/50 9 August 2019
Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money.
PA
13/50 8 August 2019
A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol.
Reuters
14/50 7 August 2019
An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo.
Reuters
15/50 6 August 2019
Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof.
AFP/Getty Images
16/50 5 August 2019
Australia’s Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs.
Getty
17/50 4 August 2019
Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered “flyboard” prior to landing on St. Margaret’s Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard.
AFP/Getty
18/50 3 August 2019
A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
AP
19/50 2 August 2019
An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall.
PA
20/50 1 August 2019
Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8.
Getty
21/50 31 July 2019
A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday.
PA
22/50 30 July 2019
Acrobats Beren d’Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe
PA
23/50 29 July 2019
Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace’s Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. The robot comes with autonomous navigation; automatic obstacle avoidance, voice conversation, and automatic dish delivery. It integrates core technologies in automatic control, multi-sensor perceptual collision avoidance and route planning
PA
24/50 28 July 2019
Competitors during the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship at The Bottle Inn in Marshwood. Competitors are served 2-foot long stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat as many leaves as possible.
Getty
25/50 27 July 2019
A woman in character as La Muerte from film The Book of Life, during the MCM Manchester Comic Con which see thousands of sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts visit Manchester Central
PA
26/50 26 July 2019
England’s Jonny Bairstow takes the catch to dismiss Ireland’s William Porterfield during their test march at Lord’s. Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their second innings in just 15.4 overs – the second lowest total in Test match history
Action Images via Reuters
27/50 25 July 2019
Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record
PA
28/50 24 July 2019
Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June
EPA
29/50 23 July 2019
Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Reuters
30/50 22 July 2019
New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable’s successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes
Getty
31/50 21 July 2019
Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men’s 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year’s European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event
Reuters
32/50 20 July 2019
London artist Helen Marshall’s People’s Moon project, a giant photographic mosaic shown at the exact hour 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed the first people on the Moon, at Piccadilly Circus, London
PA
33/50 19 July 2019
Players from Uganda and Malawi during their Netball World Cup match at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
PA
34/50 18 July 2019
Artist Steve Messam poses next to his monumental landscape artwork ‘Hush’ which hangs in the moors of Teesdale on July 18, 2019 in Barnard Castle, England. The outdoor installation is inspired by the geology, mining history and landscape of the area. The North Pennines AONB Partnership commissioned the installation which hangs over Bales Hush, a deep gauge in the terrain created when miners flushed the area with water to reveal the geological riches below. Hundreds of metres of recyclable saffron yellow fabric blow in the wind.
Getty
35/50 17 July 2019
Buckingham Palace staff arrange the dining table, a copy of Queen Victoria’s reign dessert table, as part of an exhibition at Buckingham Palace, in London. The exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria
AP
36/50 16 July 2019
The Inveraray pipe band parades through the town at the start of the Highland Games in Inverarary, Scotland
Getty
37/50 15 July 2019
Extinction Rebellion Activists block roads near the Tron Clock tower in Glasgow
Getty
38/50 14 July 2019
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic raises the winner’s trophy after beating Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their men’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club
AFP/Getty
39/50 13 July 2019
The referee counts Nathan Gorman out as Daniel Dubois looks on during the British Heavyweight Title fight between Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman at The O2 Arena in London
Getty
40/50 12 July 2019
Giant Panda, Yang Guang, exploring his new home at Edinburgh Zoo after moving in last week
RZSS/PA
41/50 11 July 2019
England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning their Cricket World Cup semi-final match against Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The host nation blew away their rivals by 8 wickets with 107 balls remaining
AP
42/50 10 July 2019
Andy Murray and Serena Williams talk as they play Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar during their mixed doubles third round match of the Wimbledon Championships. The star-studded pair went out in three sets to the top seeds
AFP/Getty
43/50 8 July 2019
Fifteen-year-old Cori “Coco” Gauff serves to Romania’s Simona Halep in a women’s singles match during day seven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. The youngest woman to qualify for Wimbledon in the open era defeated Venus Williams in her opening match and made if through to week two. Halep ended the teenagers dream run at the tournament in their round 16 match, 6-3, 6-3
AP
44/50 7 July 2019
A competitor takes part in the Red Bull Soapbox Race in Alexandra Park, London. The soapbox race is an international event in which amateur drivers race homemade soapbox vehicles on a downhill course
PA
45/50 6 July 2019
Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community take part in the annual Pride Parade in London
AFP/Getty Images
46/50 5 July 2019
Andy Murray fives mixed doubles partner Serena Williams at a practice session during day five of Wimbledon
Getty Images
47/50 4 July 2019
Chelsea’s newly appointed head coach Frank Lampard gives a thumbs up as he poses at Stamford Bridge. The Blues confirmed a dramatic return for one of the club’s greatest ever players. He has signed a three-year contract with the Premier League club, where he spent 13 years and became the team’s all-time leading scorer with 211 goals
AFP/Getty
48/50 3 July 2019
A grey seal named after Sir David Attenborough is released back into the wild after months being treated at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk after it was found with a plastic frisbee disc embedded in its neck
PA
49/50 2 July 2019
The Kirby Estate in London is decorated with St George flags ahead of the Women’s World Cup semi-final match between England and the USA
PA
50/50 1 July 2019
People sleep as Glastonbury Festival 2019 comes to an end
SWNS
1/50 21 August 2019
Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue.
PA
2/50 20 August 2019
Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates’ Court where denied any involvement with the murder.
PA
3/50 19 August 2019
A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales.
Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA
4/50 18 August 2019
England fielders crowd Pat Cummins as he see’s out the final over during day five of the second Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord’s Cricket Ground. The test ended in a draw
Getty
5/50 17 August 2019
Glew (centre) and Monroe Adams (right) pose for a selfie with a member of the public outside DragWorld London 2019, Europe’s largest drag convention, featuring drag stars from the US and UK during a two-day event at Olympia, London.
PA
6/50 16 August 2019
A grey seal with fishing net tangled around its neck amongst the colony on the beach at Horsey in Norfolk, as RSPCA data show the number of animals affected by plastic litter is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22% in just four years
PA
7/50 15 August 2019
A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People’s Vote, a campaign group
PA
8/50 14 August 2019
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. – A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through — even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect.
AFP/Getty Images
9/50 12 August 2019
A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
PA
10/50 11 August 2019
Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One.
Getty
11/50 10 August 2019
People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year
Getty
12/50 9 August 2019
Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money.
PA
13/50 8 August 2019
A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol.
Reuters
14/50 7 August 2019
An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo.
Reuters
15/50 6 August 2019
Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof.
AFP/Getty Images
16/50 5 August 2019
Australia’s Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs.
Getty
17/50 4 August 2019
Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered “flyboard” prior to landing on St. Margaret’s Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard.
AFP/Getty
18/50 3 August 2019
A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
AP
19/50 2 August 2019
An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall.
PA
20/50 1 August 2019
Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8.
Getty
21/50 31 July 2019
A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday.
PA
22/50 30 July 2019
Acrobats Beren d’Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe
PA
23/50 29 July 2019
Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace’s Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. The robot comes with autonomous navigation; automatic obstacle avoidance, voice conversation, and automatic dish delivery. It integrates core technologies in automatic control, multi-sensor perceptual collision avoidance and route planning
PA
24/50 28 July 2019
Competitors during the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship at The Bottle Inn in Marshwood. Competitors are served 2-foot long stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat as many leaves as possible.
Getty
25/50 27 July 2019
A woman in character as La Muerte from film The Book of Life, during the MCM Manchester Comic Con which see thousands of sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts visit Manchester Central
PA
26/50 26 July 2019
England’s Jonny Bairstow takes the catch to dismiss Ireland’s William Porterfield during their test march at Lord’s. Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their second innings in just 15.4 overs – the second lowest total in Test match history
Action Images via Reuters
27/50 25 July 2019
Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record
PA
28/50 24 July 2019
Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June
EPA
29/50 23 July 2019
Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Reuters
30/50 22 July 2019
New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable’s successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes
Getty
31/50 21 July 2019
Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men’s 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year’s European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event
Reuters
32/50 20 July 2019
London artist Helen Marshall’s People’s Moon project, a giant photographic mosaic shown at the exact hour 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed the first people on the Moon, at Piccadilly Circus, London
PA
33/50 19 July 2019
Players from Uganda and Malawi during their Netball World Cup match at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
PA
34/50 18 July 2019
Artist Steve Messam poses next to his monumental landscape artwork ‘Hush’ which hangs in the moors of Teesdale on July 18, 2019 in Barnard Castle, England. The outdoor installation is inspired by the geology, mining history and landscape of the area. The North Pennines AONB Partnership commissioned the installation which hangs over Bales Hush, a deep gauge in the terrain created when miners flushed the area with water to reveal the geological riches below. Hundreds of metres of recyclable saffron yellow fabric blow in the wind.
Getty
35/50 17 July 2019
Buckingham Palace staff arrange the dining table, a copy of Queen Victoria’s reign dessert table, as part of an exhibition at Buckingham Palace, in London. The exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria
AP
36/50 16 July 2019
The Inveraray pipe band parades through the town at the start of the Highland Games in Inverarary, Scotland
Getty
37/50 15 July 2019
Extinction Rebellion Activists block roads near the Tron Clock tower in Glasgow
Getty
38/50 14 July 2019
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic raises the winner’s trophy after beating Switzerland’s Roger Federer during their men’s singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club
AFP/Getty
39/50 13 July 2019
The referee counts Nathan Gorman out as Daniel Dubois looks on during the British Heavyweight Title fight between Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman at The O2 Arena in London
Getty
40/50 12 July 2019
Giant Panda, Yang Guang, exploring his new home at Edinburgh Zoo after moving in last week
RZSS/PA
41/50 11 July 2019
England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning their Cricket World Cup semi-final match against Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The host nation blew away their rivals by 8 wickets with 107 balls remaining
AP
42/50 10 July 2019
Andy Murray and Serena Williams talk as they play Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar during their mixed doubles third round match of the Wimbledon Championships. The star-studded pair went out in three sets to the top seeds
AFP/Getty
43/50 8 July 2019
Fifteen-year-old Cori “Coco” Gauff serves to Romania’s Simona Halep in a women’s singles match during day seven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. The youngest woman to qualify for Wimbledon in the open era defeated Venus Williams in her opening match and made if through to week two. Halep ended the teenagers dream run at the tournament in their round 16 match, 6-3, 6-3
AP
44/50 7 July 2019
A competitor takes part in the Red Bull Soapbox Race in Alexandra Park, London. The soapbox race is an international event in which amateur drivers race homemade soapbox vehicles on a downhill course
PA
45/50 6 July 2019
Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community take part in the annual Pride Parade in London
AFP/Getty Images
46/50 5 July 2019
Andy Murray fives mixed doubles partner Serena Williams at a practice session during day five of Wimbledon
Getty Images
47/50 4 July 2019
Chelsea’s newly appointed head coach Frank Lampard gives a thumbs up as he poses at Stamford Bridge. The Blues confirmed a dramatic return for one of the club’s greatest ever players. He has signed a three-year contract with the Premier League club, where he spent 13 years and became the team’s all-time leading scorer with 211 goals
AFP/Getty
48/50 3 July 2019
A grey seal named after Sir David Attenborough is released back into the wild after months being treated at RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in Norfolk after it was found with a plastic frisbee disc embedded in its neck
PA
49/50 2 July 2019
The Kirby Estate in London is decorated with St George flags ahead of the Women’s World Cup semi-final match between England and the USA
PA
50/50 1 July 2019
People sleep as Glastonbury Festival 2019 comes to an end
SWNS
A union that has secured a mighty mandate for a walkout knows all this. With the upper hand, it will use the fortnight’s window to try to extract concessions from the airline.
Last Friday, Balpa extended an olive branch to Ryanair – inviting the airline to talks at the conciliation service, Acas. The uncompromising response from Europe’s biggest budget carrier? “See you in court.”
Like British Airways, which also has a pilots’ stoppage looming, Ryanair was seeking to demonstrate that the strike ballot involved technical infringements and was not valid. And as with BA, the High Court threw out the airline’s case.
That was at teatime on Wednesday. Yet minutes before the judgment was revealed, Ryanair told the anxious passengers holding boarding passes on Thursday’s 6.30am departure from Liverpool to Corfu to relax.
The same message went out to around 200,000 travellers booked on more than 1,100 flights during the 48-hour strike: “We are now confident we can operate a full schedule of flights to/from our UK airports.”
With up to a quarter of British pilots planning to walk out at peak holiday time, Ryanair’s confidence shows monumental chutzpah – or, possibly, hubris.
Aviation in August in Europe is an industry at full stretch, with almost no slack in the system, the prospect of stormy skies and the inevitability of air-traffic control hold-ups. If Ryanair can pull this one off, it will have changed the dynamic of industrial relations in aviation. If it fails, the pain will be felt by passengers unwittingly caught up in a dispute between a relatively well-paid group of workers and an immensely profitable airline.
