Ryanair to set up French hubs as German pilots join strike

Ryanair said Thursday it would invest US$400m on establishing hubs for its planes at two French airports, returning to heavily unionised France after the airline’s decision to recognise unions. The carrier, which closed its last hub in France in 2011, has faced several months of strikes as a result of its decision in December to recognise unions. Pilots and cabin crew in Germany are the latest to step up pressure over pay and conditions. German unions representing both said their members would strike on Friday, joining crews in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, and bringing the number of flights canceled to almost 250. Ryanair said when it made its announcement on union recognition in December that the decision would help it expand in countries where unions had a strong influence, like France. On Thursday, the airline said it would base two planes in Bordeaux and two more in Marseille, using the airports as a hub to add 27 new routes to its summer 2019 schedule. The move would create 60 new Ryanair jobs in each location, it said. Ryanair had already cancelled 150 flights scheduled for Friday due to the cabin crew action when it announced on Thursday that “under 100” flights would now also not operate in and out of Germany after the Vereinigung Cockpit called on pilots to join the 24-hour strike.<br/>