Ryanair pilots in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden are staging a 24-hour strike on Friday (August 10) in one of the most severe examples of strike action in the company’s history. The low-cost carrier has branded the action “unjustified” and “unnecessary”.

Among their demands, which include sick leave and pension schemes, the European unions want the contracts of Ryanair employees to be governed by the laws of the nation where they are based, not by Irish legislation...

Ryanair only recognised trade unions for the first time in December 2017 and has been beset by industrial action...

Speaking at a press conference in Frankfurt the same day VC held its own, Ryanair Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs said the German union should “remove the threat of an unjustified and unnecessary strike”.

He said that German pilots enjoy excellent working conditions and are paid up to €190,000 annually...