Ryanair is to cancel 30 of its 290 scheduled flights in and out of Ireland on Thursday due to a planned strike by pilots. The airline has said that it is cancelling flights on high-frequency routes to and from the UK where passengers can easily be rescheduled. The cancellations are due to a strike by Irish-based directly employed pilots at the airline. Customers on affected flights received notification of the cancellation by text and email earlier today, the company said. These customers will receive refunds and/or free transfers to alternative flights, it said. Ryanair also said customers who have not received notification of a cancellation should check-in as normal on Thursday. The 24-hour stoppage will begin at 1am on Thursday, but the scale of disruption is unclear, as only up to 120 directly employed pilots will be striking, while more than 250 others who are employed as contractors or agency personnel will work as normal. Management and unions are due to meet at 10am tomorrow at Terminal 1 in Dublin Airport. The Commission for Aviation Regulation has published information on entitlements for passengers affected by flight cancellations or delays on its website. Where a flight is cancelled, Ryanair must offer passengers one of three options: 1. Re-routing as soon as possible; 2. Re-routing at a later date at your convenience; or 3. A refund. If you choose to be re-routed as soon as possible, Ryanair must provide you with care and assistance while you wait for the alternative flight. Care and assistance means: 1 Meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the waiting time 2 Hotel accommodation where an overnight stay becomes necessary 3 Transport between the airport and place of accommodation (hotel or other) 4 Two free telephone calls/access to email The Commission for Aviation Regulation advises that if Ryanair fails to provide such care and assistance passengers should make their own reasonable arrangements, but keep all receipts. They should then submit copies of the receipts directly to Ryanair. Where flights are delayed for over two hours, Ryanair must provide care and assistance. If the delay exceeds five hours, Ryanair must offer passengers a choice between continuing their journey or a full refund of the cost of the ticket. The commission stressed that passengers may not travel and simultanously avail of the full refund. On the issue of compensation, the commission said passengers were entitled to compensation where a flight is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours, except where the cancellation or delay is due to "extraordinary circumstances". It advises affected passengers to contact Ryanair directly. Court rules in Dutch-based Ryanair cabin crew member case Meanwhile, a Dutch court has ruled that Ryanair employees based in the Netherlands are covered by Dutch law, rather than by Irish law as claimed by the airline. Ryanair was appealing a lower court ruling which found in favour of a Dutch-based cabin crew member who took a case after she was dismissed after refusing to transfer from Eindhoven to Dublin. The court awarded the employee €25,000 in compensation after rejecting Ryanair's argument that Irish law was applicable to its employment contracts - because the planes fly under Irish flags, and the workers in question work on board Irish planes. Unions representing Ryanair workers across Europe have long demanded that their employment contracts should be governed by the law of the country in which they are actually based. Meanwhile, Ryanair has instructed its lawyers to appeal the Dutch court ruling. British Air Traffic Control disputes staff shortages claims Also today, the British Air Traffic Control provider NATS disputed Ryanair claims that staff shortages at its operation were leading to delays for airlines. Ryanair has been tweeting details of alleged delays to its services and attributing those delays to the failure to roster sufficient staff shortages and strikes at air traffic control operations around Europe. However the British ATC operators, which manages around 25% of European aviation traffic, retaliated by saying there were no ATC delays in the whole of the UK on Sunday or Monday. Last month the European umbrella body for air traffic control, Eurocontrol, warned that delays would be up 53% this year compared to 2017 because of strikes, capacity or staffing shortages and weather. We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences<doc-sep>Ryanair boss reveals 30 flights cancelled over pilot strikes FREE now and never miss the top Royal stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Ryanair pilots are to strike from today for 24 hours, affecting thousands of passengers. For the duration of the day (12 July) pilots will strike over disagreements on seniority and promotions after 99 per cent supported the action according to pilot union Forsa. Ryanair has refuted the claim and state only 27 per cent supported the strike in the Republic of Ireland. The budget airline has cancelled 30 out of 290 flights, some of which will be between the UK and Ireland. Passengers who are affected have been messaged by text and email and will be offered a refund. Ryanair cancelled flights: The pilot strike is affecting thousands of passengers The budget airline has cancelled 30 out of 290 flights, some of which will be between the UK and Ireland Ireland to Europe flights remain unaffected by the strike. Ryanair issued a statement, which said: “We regret to advise some Irish customers of a strike by just 94 (27 per cent) of our 350+ Irish pilots on Thursday, 12 July. “We have tried to avert this disruption, which is unnecessary given Ryanair pilots’ and their union FORSA has received written proposals on seniority, annual leave and base transfers, which are what FORSA claims are the reasons for this strike, yet FORSA has rejected 21 separate invitations to meet Ryanair to negotiate these documents.” Regarding those who are affected, they warned: “We regrettably must plan for some disruptions on Thurs, and try to minimise their impact, especially upon Irish customers and their families travelling on holidays to Portugal, France, Spain, Italy and Greece. “We will do this by cancelling a number of flights on high-frequency routes from Ireland to London and other UK Province destinations where customers can transfer readily to other flights on Thurs or switch their travel to later on Fri, Sat or subsequent days.” Ryanair cancellations: How to claim compensation? Tue, September 19, 2017 Ryanair cancellations: Passengers could be eligible for up to €400 in compensation according to EU legislation and this is how to claim it. Play slideshow Getty 1 of 12 Ryanair cancellations: How to claim compensation? Ryanair cancelled flights: 10 per cent of flights have been cancelled today Cancelled flights Dublin Airport FR504 06:35 Bristol FR442 07:05 Liverpool FR172 09:45 Newcastle FR554 10:35 Manchester FR664 10:45 Birmingham FR114 11:05 London Gatwick FR156 16:05 Leeds Bradford FR211 16:30 London Stansted FR142 16:45 London Gatwick FR446 17:50 Liverpool FR118 19:20 London Gatwick FR508 19:40 Bristol FR5776 20:30 Glasgow FR174 20:55 Newcastle Belfast Airport FR9301 19:25 Girona Ryanair cabin crew members could also strike later this month on 25 July due to issues with pay and promotions. Carolina Vicente, Travel Expert at Columbus Direct advised travellers who are affected that “as Ryanair is a European airline, if you are due to travel during this time and your flight is cancelled you are protected by the Denied Boarding Regulation". Options could mean “an alternative flight with the airline to your destination” or a full cancellation and refund. Passengers should be advised that once they accept a refund, “the airline no longer have a duty of care towards you” which means all further expenses are at the traveller's own expense. “Denied Boarding Regulation only applies if you are travelling from a European airport or to a European airport but it doesn’t have to be an EU airline,” Ms Vicente warned. Ryanair cancelled flights: Pilots are striking for the duration of the day<doc-sep>In 2014, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary landed at Dublin airport with the first of Ryanair's new Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft from Seattle. The aircraft has become a staple for Irish travellers. Irish-based pilots have voted to strike in what Ryanair says is an 'unnecessary' action. Here's an explainer to get you up to speed. What's going on? Thousands of Ryanair passengers face the prospect of travel chaos after pilots served notice of a 24-hour stoppage for Thursday, July 12. The notice was served by the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA), almost 100 of whose Irish-based pilot members voted in favour of industrial action. What is the strike about? In a word, seniority. The striking pilots want those with the longest service to get first call on entitlements and workplace benefits like annual leave when their children are on holiday, promotions and transfers between bases. When will the strike happen? IALPA is a division of union group Fórsa, which said the strike action will last for 24 hours beginning at 1am on Thursday, July 12. Do we know that for sure? No. Industrial disputes can involve a lot of threats and bluster. The strikes have been called, but Ryanair and IALPA are likely to negotiate, so there remains a possibility that action may be averted before July 12. Fórsa said it is “willing to engage” on the issues. Will my flight be affected? Nobody knows what flights are threatened right now. Ryanair says next week's strike could affect just 7pc of its flights, but obviously, that's little reassurance to anyone booked to fly to/from Ireland on July 12. If negotiations fail, Ryanair says it will communicate next Tuesday with all customers travelling from Ireland on July 12 - the day of the "unnecessary" strike - by email and SMS text message. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled? If your flight is cancelled for any reason, and regardless of when you are notified, your airline must offer you the choice between: 1) Re-routing as soon as possible, subject to availability, free of charge. 2) Re-routing at a later date. 3) A full refund. Read More Expand Close Frankfurt-Hahn Airport. Passengers board a Ryanair passenger plane. Photo by Ulrich Baumgarrten via Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Frankfurt-Hahn Airport. Passengers board a Ryanair passenger plane. Photo by Ulrich Baumgarrten via Getty Images How do I arrange a re-routing or refund? The quickest option is to check your carrier's website. It should include the steps to process your own refunds or bookings. I don't want to lose my holiday. Should I act now or wait? That's the dilemma, and the reason this is so frustrating for passengers. Unfortunately, nobody can say for sure. As it stands, no flights have been definitively cancelled, so passenger rights do not kick in. If you have booked a holiday through a travel agent, keep in touch with them on this - ITAA members will work on your behalf to smooth disruption. If my flight is cancelled, can I claim compensation? Financial compensation depends on the flight length and the reason for the cancellation. It generally ranges from €250 (short-haul, less than 1,500km) to €600 (long-haul, over 3,500km). Several scenarios can impact on compensation rights, including the notice given (see a full breakdown of compensation rights here), and whether or not it is due to extraordinary circumstances - which arguably, could include a strike. Generally, compensation claims are evaluated on a case-by-case basis - so if you believe you have a strong one, go ahead and make it. For more on your passenger rights, call 01 661-1700 or visit flightrights.ie. What if I am overseas? Am I entitled to care and assistance? If your flight is cancelled and you choose to be re-routed as soon as possible, then you are entitled to meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation and transfers between the airport and hotel as required. If the airline does not provide these, and you end up paying yourself, keep the receipts - you are entitled to a reimbursement of reasonable expenses. NB. A five-star hotel may not be a reasonable expense! Bear in mind that if your flight is cancelled and you choose a full refund, then the airline's obligations to you end there and then. Can my travel insurance help? In the event of a flight cancellation, the first source of refunds and re-routing should be with your airline (see above). Standard travel insurance policies don't offer much help here (and many have specific exclusions for industrial action), but 'missed departure' cover can help you secure a new flight, or an additional night's accomodation. If your policy includes extra "travel disruption" cover, you should be covered for additional transport or accommodation costs up to around €1,000pp - this covers most scenarios with flight cancellations due to weather, strikes and so on, but not lost annual leave, business opportunities or attraction fees booked in advance online. Is it too late to take out travel insurance? Travel Disruption cover can be added retrospectively to a policy, but not to claim on an event that has already happened (or been forecast). Is this a once-off? That's also unknown. Fórsa said it has told Ryanair that it will notify the airline of additional strike days “in due course”. However, it also says it is willing to negotiate. Other groups of staff - cabin crew, for example - are also set to demand better conditions, while there are fears that industrial action will hit bases abroad. The strike warning follows a wave of French Air Traffic Controller strikes, and travel disruption experienced by CityJet passengers this week. Read more: Read More Online Editors<doc-sep>
Around 250 Ryanair flights have been cancelled – including dozens to and from UK airports – after another wave of strikes by disgruntled staff in Europe. An estimated 2,000 employees of the low-cost airline, including cabin crew in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Dutch and German pilots, have stopped work for 24 hours on Friday in a long-running dispute over pay and labour contracts. It is the second coordinated walk-out by Ryanair's European workers in two weeks and the latest chapter in what has been a tumultuous year for the Irish carrier. One in six flights were grounded on August 10 after pilots across five countries walked out. Ryanair has insisted that just “a tiny minority” of cabin crew are responsible for the latest industrial action. “We sincerely apologise to those customers affected by these unnecessary strikes on Friday, which we have done our utmost to avoid,” said Kenny Jacobs, the airline's chief marketing officer. Which flights have been cancelled? The worst affected UK airport is Stansted, with departures to Eindhoven, Pisa, Lisbon, Milan, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Berlin among those cancelled. Services from Manchester to Berlin, Barcelona, Malaga and Faro have been hit, as have a handful of flights from Birmingham and East Midlands airports. However, the vast majority of Ryanair flights across the continent – 92 per cent, according to the airline – are running as normal. Ryanair says affected passengers – around 30,000 in total – have been notified via email and text message. Am I entitled to a refund? Yes. European Union regulations require airlines to offer you either a full refund for the unused parts of your tickets, or to re-route you to your destination as soon as possible. Some airlines may also allow you to rebook your flights for a later date at no extra cost. Speak to Ryanair about your options. Telegraph logo This video content is no longer available To watch The Telegraph's latest video content please visit youtube.com/telegraph What if I am stranded abroad? EU regulations make it clear that, when a flight with an EU airline or from an EU airport is cancelled, an airline is liable to pay for the cost of a hotel and subsistence for all those stranded as a result, until a replacement flight is provided. Should your airline advise you to buy your own food and accommodation, keep all receipts, and keep such costs to a reasonable minimum, before making a claim when you get back to Britain. Will I get compensation? Under EU regulations, passengers on cancelled flights can claim cash compensation of up to €250 (for short-haul services) or €400 (for longer flights). However, compensation is not payable in the case of “extraordinary circumstances”. The Civil Aviation Authority has urged affected passengers to make a claim, but Ryanair says it will refuse to pay out because it is not responsible for the strikes. What about package holidays? Those passengers on package holidays who are stranded in a destination should be looked after by their tour operator, and the operator is legally obliged to get them home. Customers will usually be allowed to stay in their original hotel, or will be moved to one of a similar standard on a half-board or all-inclusive basis. The exact situation will depend on the operator’s booking terms and conditions. My flight has been cancelled – can I cancel my accommodation? If you have booked a hotel, a villa or other accommodation independently of your travel arrangements (i.e not as part of a package holiday) your contract is directly with the hotel or villa and you are responsible for any cancellation. If you can’t get there, you will have to do your best to persuade them to give you a refund or rebook for a later date – but they are not obliged to do this and you may lose money.