RYANAIR pilots at each of the Irish airline's 15 UK bases have voted to accept pay increases of up to 20 percent just months after rejecting the same deal last year.
The U-turn follows Ryanair's decision to recognise unions for the first time after it was forced to cancel 20,000 flights last Autumn over a shortage of stand-by pilots.
The pilots originally rejected the offer late last year over concerns about pilot staffing and employment terms and conditions.
But after today's announcement, pilots in Britain will enjoy increased pay from next week's January payroll onwards, Ryanair confirmed this afternoon.
The pay rise will see its UK pilots earning 20 percent more than direct low-cost rivals such as Norwegian Airlines and Jet2.
The majority of Ryanair pilots in Ireland have already agreed to the pay increases in secret ballots at their Dublin, Cork and Shannon bases.
However, Ryanair says that it remains in "slow" talks with the remaining 35 percent of Dublin pilots who have yet to accept pay rises.
“Ryanair is disappointed that no such vote was organised among the remaining 35 percent of Dublin pilots who will now not receive this pay increase in the January payroll,” the carrier said in a statement.
“Ryanair is continuing to negotiate with FORSA and its Ryanair Irish Pilots Council, but these discussions are progressing slowly.”
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