Fórsa cabin crew members at Ryanair will see improvements to the current collective labour agreement the airline has with the union.

Full post-Covid pay restoration measures announced in November, take effect this month, and were brought forward from two scheduled phases in 2023 and 2024.

In addition, gross annual basic pay for junior cabin crew is to be increased as of this month. The new rate includes the four phases of annual basic pay increases that were originally due to be applied each year between April 2023 and April 2026.

The airline anticipates newly hired junior cabin crew should be able to access promotional opportunities after an initial 12 months of service. In addition, Ryanair is to offer the majority of agency crew a direct Ryanair contract.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Eugene Gargan said the improvements to the collective agreement reflect both the significant financial recovery of the airline this year, as well as difficulties with recruitment and retention of cabin crew staff: “There are a number of external factors affecting recruitment and retention, and there’s no disguising the role of the housing crisis in that context.

“Young crew based on Dublin simply can’t afford accommodation here, and we are seeing patterns of staff exit much like those in teaching and in hospitality. The improvements to the existing agreement reflect the need to attract and retain cabin crew staff in the midst of an exceptionally tight labour market, in addition to the problems created by the lack of housing,” he said.

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