DUBLIN, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Ryanair announced on Friday that its has cancelled 16 flights between Ireland and Britain due to a strike planned by its Ireland-based pilots in the next week.
The flights cancelled are scheduled on Tuesday July 24, said the airline in a statement posted on its website, adding that the decision of the cancellations is made because the union which represent the pilots has refused to call off the strike planned on the date.
According to Ryanair, the flights cancelled will affect 2,500 customers and all the affected customers have been notified by text messages and emails about the cancellations and they will either be re-accommodated on other Ryanair flights or get refunded.
So far a total of 70 flights have been cancelled by Ryanair due to the strikes by its Ireland-based pilots since last Thursday.
On July 12, a group of Ryanair pilots launched a 24-hour strike following a breakup of their negotiations with the Ryanair management over the improvement of their working conditions, which led to cancellations of 30 flights, affecting nearly 5,000 customers.
On the very same day of the strike, the pilots decided to launch two more one-day strikes as they accused the Ryanair management of lacking sincerity in addressing their concerns related to pay, seniority, base transfer, annual leave and other issues.
The two additional strikes included one which was launched on early Friday morning. A total of 24 flights have been cancelled due to the ongoing strike on Friday, said Ryanair.
All the 70 flights cancelled are flights between Ireland and Britain, said Ryanair, adding that such arrangements have been made to minimize the disruptions to travellers.
Ryanair said the number of the pilots who have participated in the three strikes account for 25 percent of its 350-plus pilot workforce in Ireland.
The airline described the strikes by its pilots as "unnecessary and regrettable" as it has already approached to their union to address their concerns.
