Ryanair’s clampdown on pilot sick leave draws criticism

Ryanair has been criticised for threatening disciplinary action against pilots who have taken more than 4 bouts of sick leave in a year, a further flashpoint in the airline’s fraught labour relations. Pilots who have taken more than four chunks of sick leave over a 12-month period have been sent letters as part of the carrier’s review of “pilot absenteeism”, according to several people familiar with the matter. The letters state that without an “immediate and significant improvement” in attendance, disciplinary action may be necessary. The European Cockpit Association, which brings together 36 national pilots’ unions, has raised concerns over the approach to sick leave with EASA. “Any airline that puts an arbitrary limit on how many times or days its pilots can get sick is playing with fire,” said the ECA. <br/>