Ryanair today (3 March) welcomed the acceptance by Ryanair’s Belgian Cabin Crew of a 4-year agreement negotiated with CNE/AVC PULS on cost savings, productivity improvements and job protection. This agreement gives Ryanair a framework to flex its operation during the Covid-19 crisis and a pathway to recovery when the business returns to normal in the years ahead.

Ryanair and its Belgian pilots also accepted a deal in October 2020 to save jobs, which included a 20% pay reduction (fully restored over the 4-year agreement) and productivity improvements.

These agreements demonstrate that Ryanair pilots & cabin crew and their unions are willing to work with the airline during the Covid-19 crisis, at a time when Ryanair is carrying significantly less traffic, at considerably lower fares. Vaccinations are the way out of this Covid-19 crisis and as Ryanair works to rebuild schedules and restore critical air transport links, these successful vaccine rollouts across Europe will pave the way for the lifting of travel restrictions allowing air travel and economies to recover and thrive again.

With job security and modest, temporary pay reductions now secured for their Belgian cabin crew, Ryanair is once again calling on the Belgian Government to urgently implement incentive schemes to reduce airport landing charges at Belgian airports to save thousands of jobs, protect the Belgian tourism industry and stimulate passenger recovery for Summer ’21 and beyond.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said:

“We welcome this result that saw Ryanair’s Belgian Cabin Crew vote in favour of a 4-year agreement that will protect the jobs of over 175 cabin crew. This agreement includes a modest pay reduction of 8% together with productivity improvements and job protection.

Following this successful agreement with the unions and at a time when aviation is going through its biggest crisis in its history, we are once again calling on the Government to implement airport incentive schemes to reduce airport and landing charges at all Belgian airports to protect vital air links and aid the recovery of passenger numbers for summer ’21.”