Ryanair blames airports for cancellations and delays during staff strike

Ryanair has blamed airports saying they “had one job to do to” on the same day that Ryanair staff strike over pay and benefits.

In a hypocritical tirade directed at UK airports on Monday, July 25 Chief Financial Officer Neil Sorahan said: “various governments and airports needed to be held to account for not staffing up appropriately.”

Speaking to the BBC he said: “They had the schedules months in advance.”

Continuing he said that the biggest issue the company faced was “air traffic control disruptions all across Europe.

“You have to hold ANSPs [air navigation service providers] and various governments to account in relation to not staffing up appropriately for that.

“Equally the airports themselves, they had one job to do and that was to make sure they have sufficient handlers and security staff. They had the schedules months in advance.

“We managed to staff up for 73 additional aircraft well in advance and it’s incumbent on the airports to get their planning better next year.”

Airports and airlines shed jobs during the pandemic as they looked to but costs as they worked to survive, but many including Ryanair have not been able to encourage them all to return.

Many blame the airlines for overbooking whilst strike action over pay and benefits has also been a significant contributor to delays and cancellations.

Most airports across Spain have today been hit by Ryanair strikes as staff continue to battle with the airline over unfair pay and benefits. On average airports are experiencing between four and five cancellations daily and around 10 delays some of which can last hours.

Ryanair, who just declared a massive return to profitability has fought with unions after it cut salaries during the pandemic. The airline, however, claims to have reached agreements with more than 80 per cent of its pilots and around 70 per cent of its cabin crews.

Sorahan claimed in the BBC interview that strike action had a “minimal impact” on services. To a degree, the claim is true with Ryanair suffering significantly fewer cancellations than its competition.

With at least one union still holding out, another issue has risen, which is the illegal charging of staff for medical check-ups. But as always Ryanair refuse to budge on the issue which once again could see them taking on European Union officials.

Recently @Ryanair, shop stewards noticed that the company is charging workers for medical check-ups (3 deductions of 27,06 EUR). Clear infringement to the Code of well-being. Informed by the union, labour inspectors told that the company is not willing to change its methods. (1) pic.twitter.com/aF63hrDsqW

— Jean-Benoît Maisin (@JMaisin) July 25, 2022

Ryanair always quick to shift blame has said airports are responsible for the cancellations and delays, claiming that the current strike has had minimal effect on services.

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