Section:GDN 1N PaGe:20 Edition Date:190830 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 29/8/2019 19:37 cYanmaGentaYellowb
- The Guardian Friday 30 Aug ust 2019
(^20) National
Gwyn Topham
Transport correspondent
Ryanair has told customers that all of
its UK fl ights will take off as scheduled
next week despite a three-day strike
called by the pilots union Balpa.
The airline said more than 95% of
its UK pilots had confi rmed that they
would work their rosters during the
industrial action, which is due to take
place from Monday to Wednesday.
Balpa declined to comment on the
airline’s claims.
A two-day strike earlier this month
by Balpa pilots, which Ryanair
unsuccess fully sought to prevent with
a high court injunction, failed to stop
any of its 892 daily fl ights from oper-
ating, according to the airline.
Although Balpa has refused to
confi rm pilot numbers, Ryanair has
claimed that fewer than 30% of its
1,250 UK pilots had voted for indus-
trial action.
In a statement delivered to
customers who have booked travel
next week, Ryanair said: “All Ryanair
fl ights to/from UK airports on 2-4 Sep-
tember will operate as scheduled
thanks to the eff orts of over 95% of
our UK pilots who have confi rmed
that they will work their rosters, and
will not support this failed third [sic]
Balpa strike action.
“We do not expect any pilot strike
disruptions to our schedule .”
Ryanair said that it had invited
Balpa to meet to resume negotiations,
but the union had refused.
Balpa has said that none of the issues
it raised on behalf of its members in
March – including pensions, maternity
benefi ts, and a fair, transparent pay
structure – had been addressed by
Ryanair.
The airline has , however, cancell ed
14 fl ights to and from Spain next week
as a result of strikes by Spanish cabin
crews. It said all customers aff ected
ha d already been informed and off ered
refunds or new bookings.
It called on Spanish unions to return
to talks and warned that “the closure
of loss-making winter bases in the
Canary Islands will not be reversed
by these pointless strikes”.
Widespread strikes over pay and
conditions a year ago forced Ryanair
to cancel hundreds of fl ights, hitting
its profi ts in the busy summer months.
Separately, Balpa said there were
currently no talks planned to end a
separate dispute with British Airways,
where strikes were due to go ahead
next month. The union said it was
awaiting a response from BA’s chief
executive, Álex Cruz, to its invita-
tion to talks, following his “personal
promise” to be involved.
Brian Strutton , Balpa’s general
secretary, said: “This dispute will only
be settled, and these strikes will only
be called off , when BA improve their
off er enough to satisfy their pilots.
Until BA indicate that they are willing
to do that, there is absolutely no point
in any talks.”
A BA spokesman said: “We have
continued to urge Balpa to return to
talks since they issued strike dates,
and this was reiterated again yesterday
[Wednesday] afternoon. Our negotiat-
ing team is standing by .”
Balpa’s planned BA action appears
to be having an impact even before the
strikes take place. The national carrier
faced a fl ood of complaints after many
customers were emailed in error at the
weekend to be told that their fl ights
were cancelled. Passengers were later
told that their fl ights would operate –
after some had rebooked travel.
BA pilots are due to strike on 9, 10
and 27 September.
Pilot strikes will not aff ect UK
fl ights, Ryanair tells customers
Screen
painting
Artist David
Downes
has been
commissioned
by ITV to paint
a billboard in
Bournemouth
to promote
the television
adaptation of
Jane Austen’s
Sanditon,
which started
last Sunday.
PHOTOGRAPH:
ZACHARY CULPIN/BNPS
Complaints aired
Traveller satisfaction falls
Satisfaction with air travel has fallen
over the past three years, according
to new research.
The Civil Aviation Authority’s
latest aviation consumer survey
suggests the proportion of people
satisfi ed with their most recent
fl ight decreased from 90% in June
2016 to 81% in June 2019.
About 3,500 UK adults were
polled for the most recent report.
Recent fl yers from the north-east of
England were the most likely to be
satisfi ed (90%), while those from
Northern Ireland were the least
content (67%) with their journey.
Reasons for dissatisfaction
given by passengers included poor
handling of complaints by airlines
and airports, a lack of information
from airlines when fl ights are
delayed and inadequate accessibility
for those travellers with reduced
mobility. PA Media
RELEASED BY "What's News" vk.com/wsnws TELEGRAM: t.me/whatsnws