Irish airline Ryanair has lost a bid in the High Court to prevent strikes tomorrow and on Friday.
Ryanair pilot strikes are likely to have been causing stress for travellers.
However, they assured travellers today that they will be running a full service with only some minor delays expected.
Striking pilots asking for more pay have chosen to take industrial action in the last week of the summer holidays, when many hard-working cash-strapped Britons with children will be travelling.
In a statement Ryanair said flights tomorrow and Friday will operate as normal.
Volunteers have come to the aid of the airline and travellers, Ryanair stated.
The statement read: “thanks to the great work and volunteerism of the vast majority of our UK based pilots, Ryanair now expects to operate its full schedule of flights to/from our UK airports on Thurs 22nd and Fri 23rd.
“We do not expect significant disruptions on Thurs or Friday, however we cannot rule out some small flight delays and/or flight changes.
“We are working hard with our pilot teams to minimise any such delays for our customers and their families.”
While there is not yet a verdict on the London court case, which Ryanair has called “unjustified strike by a small number of pilots going ahead during the last week of the UK school holidays”, the airline hopes strikes would not affect holidays.
It added: “All passengers scheduled to travel on flights to/from UK airports on Thurs 22nd & Fri 23rd Aug should arrive at their departure airport as normal and they can expect their scheduled Ryanair flight to depart on time.”
Further more, Ryanair said: “British pilots earning six figure annual salaries should not be threatening the holiday flights of thousands of British passengers and their families (very few of whom earn over £170,000 p.a.).”
Aashna Shroff, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, comments: “Ryanair hasn’t helped its customers by leaving the High Court appeal until the very last minute, but it claims now there will only be ‘small delays’ tomorrow.
“I would advise travellers to check the Ryanair website and to contact their travel providers for up-to-date information on flights tomorrow and Friday. It’s important to check this information before travelling to the airport to ensure you know the latest status of your scheduled flight and you’re not left waiting unnecessarily at the airport.
“If you experience a significant delay when you’re at the airport – whether flying from or to the UK – the airline is required to make your wait a comfortable one, including providing food and drink, phone calls, and even accommodation, if necessary.
“If your flight is delayed by three hours or more, you are entitled to a cash payment of 250 Euros for short flights and 400 Euros for a flight distance of 1,500 to 3,500km.
“If you are delayed by more than five hours, you have the right to cancel your journey and have the cost of your flight reimbursed – which won’t be much of a consolation to those people who have already paid for accommodation and other costs at their holiday destination.
“In the unlikely event that your flight to or from the UK is cancelled, thanks to EU regulations, you are entitled to: a full refund; or an alternative flight to your destination from a nearby airport, with the airline responsible for additional travel costs; or an alternative flight on a later date outside the strike period.”
So how much do Ryanair pilots earn?
According to salary tracking website PayScale, the salary of a commercial pilot fly a jet at the company varies from £40,000 to £105,000 per year.
Other estimates have said pilots who fly in and out of the biggest hubs can earn as much as £185,000 per year.
The pilots union BALPA said Ryanair has “blown” strikes resolution hopes, earlier today.
BALPA spoke of the UK pilot strike situation and said: “Ryanair has blown the chance of finding a resolution before this week’s strike action.
“Because Ryanair has wasted time with unnecessary court action, their chance to resolve the dispute involving their pilots has been lost.
“Instead Ryanair is relying on legal technicalities to try to persuade the High Court to block the strike.
“It’s also worrying to see Ryanair continue to sell tickets for strike days – are they prepared to offer compensation to passengers if they are affected?
“I think they should tell passengers exactly where they stand.”
