Ryanair has to pay eight pilots compensation of a few tons each because of the closure of the base of the Irish budget airline in Eindhoven. The judge accepted the pilots’ claim that they were duped by Ryanair.
The pilots stated, among other things, that their income will decline for a period of at least a number of years if they are forced to work for another company due to the closure of the base. With a switch they start again at the bottom of the ladder in terms of function and pay, they argued.
The contracts of the pilots will be dissolved on 1 May. They are now busy finding work elsewhere. A ninth complainant dropped out earlier because he had found a new job.
Ryanair was not immediately available for a response. The prize fighter can still appeal against the judgment. According to a spokesperson, the Dutch Traffic Aviation Association is also considering the options for appeal. The damages turned out to be somewhat lower than claimed.
In an earlier court ruling, the court already established that Ryanair decided without good reason to remove four aircraft from Eindhoven. The pilots and the court suspect that the base in Eindhoven was closed as a retaliation for two strikes. Ryanair denies that and states that there were business reasons for the departure from Eindhoven.
