Ryanair's Irish pilots announce two more strikes

Pilots in Ryanair’s home country Ireland Thursday announced two more one-day strikes, increasing pressure on Europe’s largest low-cost carrier to improve conditions to stave off a wave of industrial action across Europe. Around 100 of Ryanair’s 350 Irish pilots held their first-ever strike on Thursday to demand a more transparent system of pay, promotions and transfers, aiming to limit what the FORSA/IALPA union says is excessive discretion management have over pilots’ careers. The airline said it cancelled 30 flights from Ireland on Thursday, less than 2% of its 2,300 daily flights. But it is facing a growing number of strike threats from pilot and cabin crew unions across Europe, including cabin crew strikes in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium later in July. Irish union FORSA/IALPA on Thursday said it planned to hold two more one-day strikes on July 20 and July 24.<br/>