The problems for Ryanair don’t seem to be ending with pilots at Charleroi Airport base in Belgium planning a renewed strike on July 29 and 30. The Christian trade unions ACV Puls and CNE have reported that the management of Ryanair has not addressed the pilots’ concerns leading to lack of respect shown by the airline and a proposed cancellation of the collective bargaining agreement as reasons for the strike.
The pilots' union alleges that Ryanair wants to maintain a 20% pay cut imposed during the pandemic, despite the company's significant profits in 2022. The unions claim that despite Ryanair having a near-record €1.43 billion profit in 2022, the airline does not intend to restore the pay rates for the Belgian-based pilots before the collective agreement expires in October 2024.
Additionally, Ryanair is under European Union investigation for its preferential relationship with Charleroi airport management and may consider relocating its base if the Brussels Airlines complaint is successful.
This strike comes after a previous one in mid-July, which resulted in 120 cancelled flights and nearly 20,000 affected passengers at Brussels South Charleroi Airport.
Despite the strike, Ryanair’s operations at Brussels Airport, where they have no base, will not be affected since the aircraft and crews flying to and from Brussels are based abroad.