Ryanair reveals worst gender pay gap in airline industry

Ryanair has revealed a gender pay gap of 72% – the worst in the airline industry – with women making up only 3% of the top quarter of earners at the airline. The figure is among the most imbalanced yet reported in any sector, about 4 times the UK average and outstripping that of EasyJet, whose 45% gap had attracted widespread criticism. Median hourly pay among Ryanair’s 1,182 UK staff is 71.8% lower for women (67% lower on mean hourly pay), while median bonus pay for women was 3% lower (with a mean difference of 21%). Ryanair said: “Like all airlines, our gender pay in the UK is materially affected by the relatively low numbers of female pilots in the aviation industry." Ryanair has yet to spell out what steps it will take to recruit more women into higher paid positions. <br/>