More disruption for Ryanair passengers as pilots stage fifth strike

Irish-based Ryanair pilots are to stage their fifth one-day strike next week for 24 hours, which is likely to cause more disruption.

It will start next Friday August 10 at 1am and it has not been determined how many flights and passengers will be affected by the industrial action.

This is the fifth strike by pilots since July 12. Last month, the budget airline criticised the strikes as unnecessary and warned that if they continue, there could be job losses.

Trade union Forsa, which represents the pilots, hit out at the airline company following the warning.

It said that the pilots continue to seek a 'fair and transparent method' to govern base transfers and related matters which they say is common practice in the industry.

In a statement, Forsa said on Thursday: "In the 19 days since the first one-day strike took place, company management has agreed to just two hours of talks, despite Forsa’s repeated assurance that it is available for discussions at any time.

"The union has today told Ryanair that it remains available for talks.

"Company management met the union the day before the first one-day strike, and two days before the second one-day strike (on July 18). It then changed its position and said it would not negotiate while strike action was planned.”

The union said that two weeks have passed since their last meeting with management and warned that a resolution to the dispute cannot be reached if the airline has "precondition" talks.

The union added: "On a number of occasions in recent weeks and months, there have been suggestions that third-party facilitation could assist in reaching consensus on issues of disagreement.

"Forsa has today repeated to the company that it is willing to explore this option."