Ryanair nears deal with Italian pilots

Ryanair and its Italian pilots union ANPAC said Wednesday they were close to a deal on formal recognition and working conditions in what would be a major breakthrough in the airline’s efforts to avoid strike action across Europe. A deal in Italy would mean pilots in two of the airline’s three largest markets - Britain, Italy and Spain - would have reached provisional agreement with management. In Ryanair’s biggest market, Britain’s BALPA union signed a recognition deal in January and Ryanair’s COO Peter Bellew on Tuesday said talks with the SELPA pilot union in its third biggest market in Spain were “very positive.” “Things are really going fast. At the next meeting we may be able to sign an agreement,” ANPAC official Riccardo Canestrari said following a meeting with Ryanair management. At a press conference in Rome, Ryanair CE Michael O‘Leary said he hoped to sign an agreement at their next meeting with the airline’s management in two weeks’ time. The airline averted widespread strikes ahead of Christmas by announcing plans to recognize pilots’ unions for the first time in its 32-year history and is talking with unions across Europe on formal recognition. But progress had been slow and O‘Leary has warned that the company may face strike action at Easter or the summer.<br/>