Ryanair hands German pilots full contracts in peace overture

Ryanair will offer direct employment to some German pilots currently working under contract, as a recruitment specialist ends its services for the carrier in the country. “Ryanair has now begun the process of offering these contractors direct employment,” the airline said after McGinley Aviation wrote to air crew confirming its withdrawal. McGinley MD Elizabeth Cusack said that her firm reached the decision itself following an operational review and will continue serving Ryanair in all other countries. The switch may help pave the way for a unionisation deal between the airline and its German pilots after they staged the first strike in the company’s history Dec 22. The 4-hour stoppage was called after a breakdown in talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit labour group over the transition to collective bargaining. <br/>